(Christina Radevich/Unsplash)
A non-fungible token (NFT) inThe Bowie Estateâs exclusive collection with OpenSeasold on Monday night for 96.5 ether (ETH), or about $127,000.
The David Bowie estate partnered with top NFT marketplace OpenSea to sell âBowie on the Blockchain,â a 15-piece NFT collection to commemorate the British pop legend and the colorful motifs used throughout his career. The collection, initially listed on the marketplace on Sept. 30, features artwork from nine artists across the NFT landscape.
The collection highlight, created by 19-year-old NFT artistFEWOCiOUS, features an animated video clip paired with a physical seven-foot-tall sculpture wearing one of Bowieâs custom suits from his archive.
âI thought it was so cool that he was always what he wanted to be. And created a world that he wanted to live in. That's really the feeling I try to capture in my art,â said FEWOCiOUS in the collection description.
According to OpenSea, the collection will carry out Bowieâs legacy of reshaping the nature of musical performances, empowering digital communities and being a proponent of new technologies within the span of his career.
Other NFTs in the collection have so far sold for between 3 ETH ($4,000) to 7.5 ETH ($9,800).
The NFT that sold for the second-highest amount is titled âIt Became A Myth Landâ by NFT artistDefaced. The unique digital work runs on a 12-hour clock that travels through six different segments of Bowieâs life and career. Upon purchase, it comes with anAtomic Formdigital frame to display the work.
Bidding for some NFTs began on Sept. 30 and the final NFTs in the collection will be sold on Nov. 3. After all collection sales end, 100% of the profits will be donated toCARE, an organization that aims to end global poverty and hunger. Bowieâs wife Iman is a global advocate for CARE.
The Bowie Estateâs entry into digital collectibles follows a growing trend of celebrity estates using NFTs to as part of their legacy.
In July,Biggie Smallsâ estatepartnered with music NFT marketplaceOneOfto release âSkyâs the Limit,â a 3,000-piece collection of generative art profile pictures (PFPs) with exclusive access to license his unreleased track âFulton Street Freestyle.â
Wayne Barrow, the manager of Biggieâs estate, told CoinDesk that NFTs are a way to give back to fans who have supported the rapper over the years.
âGiving them the opportunity to decide how Biggieâs freestyle is used is something we know he would be proud of by seeing his work shared with the people who cared about it the most in this unique way,â said Barrow.
OneOf has also helped other celebrity estates venture into the Web3 space. In December, OneOfpartnered with Whitney Houstonâs estateto sell an unreleased track as an NFTfor $1 million.
âIâm excited to see Whitney's legacy and her wonderful music expand into the bold new technology of this era,â said Pat Houston, the executor of Houstonâs estate, in an email. âIt was a joy ⌠watching the artistry of Whitney's music influence a new generation.â
Another NFT platform,LTD.Inc,launched a collection with the late photographer Chi Moduto sell physical and digital prints of artists like Mary J. Blige, Method Man and Nas. Each physical print comes with a chip that features scannable access to digital perks.
Elvis Presley Enterprises, the corporate entity created by the performerâs estate, alsoairdropped NFT wigs and jumpsuitsfor a Decentraland metaverse event in January as a part of a larger âElvis-On-Chainâ NFT release.