From floppy disks to blockchain, Keith Haring's unseen art gets NFT treatment

Five previously unseen computer drawings by the renowned artist Keith Haring are soon to be auctioned as NFTs at Christie's. The online auction, titled "Keith Haring: Pixel Pioneer," is set to take place from September 12 through September 20.

These unique pieces, created in the 1980s using an Amiga personal computer, were gifted to Haring by Timothy Leary, a psychedelic pioneer and software developer. Although Haring initially expressed reservations about technology, he embraced digital tools as the decade progressed. The Amiga served as his canvas for these works, illustrating his distinctive, vibrant visual language in pixelated fluorescent hues.

The auctioning of these NFTs, minted on the Ethereum blockchain, aligns with Haring's belief that art should be accessible and not confined within gallery walls. Each NFT is estimated to fetch between $200,000 and $500,000, with the entire collection valued at $1.65 million. The debut of Haring's NFTs could generate considerable interest among a community of collectors who share the artist's ethos and vision.

The "Pixel Pioneer" collection signifies an important juncture in the art world. As Vazquez remarked, "The technology has finally caught up to the vision." The auction also comes at a time when the NFT market is experiencing fluctuations, despite recent successful debuts by artists such as Jackson Pollock and Yue Minjun.

The auctioned works will be on view at Christie's Seoul from September 7-8, 2023, and at Christie's New York from September 14-19, 2023.