Artist Super Buddha to release gaming-inspired NFTs on Aug. 13
Super Buddha. Image provided by New River Fine Art
BRIDGEHAMPTON, N.Y. – Internationally acclaimed artist Super Buddha, who divides his time between Miami and Shanghai, has garnered quite the star-studded list of collectors and admirers. His collector base includes recording artists such as Tory Lanez and Swae Lee, social media and business tycoon Gianluca Vacchi, and boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather. Now, fine art collectors and crypto investors alike will have the opportunity to collect Super Buddha’s three new NFTs, which will drop on Blockparty.co and debut at Art Market Hamptons on August 13. The artist will make a personal appearance at the event, located in Bridgehampton, New York.
As a non-native Chinese artist living in Shanghai, Super Buddha began creating art in a hybrid environment of new and old, where the constant influx of Western pop culture influences clashed with the strict and rigid ways of the Hukou System. Coming of age as one of the pioneers of the Graffiti scene in Shanghai, Super Buddha found himself straddling two very distinct worlds — the iconic Eastern Art and Urban Art cultures. Being one of the first artists to tag buildings in Shanghai, he risked life and limb to help establish a new style of Street Art that did not yet exist in this heavily populated area of China.
Super Buddha World: Forbidden City. Image provided by New River Fine Art
Lisa Burgess, President of New River Fine Art, which represents the artist, remarked: “On the surface, Super Buddha’s N.F.T.’s are whimsical works of animation full of positive messaging inspired by retro video games. Upon closer examination, the viewer notices underlying narratives influenced by modern advances like cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies. Deep within these plots come a more vocal examination and analysis of international political issues like the threat of government interference on autonomous decentralizations, and the consequences of oppressive regimes. In the end, the juxtaposition of good and evil on his signature character, ‘Super Buddha’, reinforces a mental exercise we can all practice — reject the impulses of materiality while reflecting on life lessons with upbeat gusto.”
Buddha’s Grand Blessings (Shanghai Edition). Image provided by New River Fine Art
Super Buddha’s new NFTs flip the script on gaming by animating his 32-bit Buddha as a token of enlightenment that brings blessings to retro-inspired video game worlds. These crypto-native and culturally relevant NFTs reflect the artist’s love for 1980s and ’90s video games and help bring a positive message to the impassioned contexts of gaming. Super Buddha’s lighthearted artwork features Buddha as a contemporary spokesperson who captivates the audience with witty one-liner blessings. Exhibited repetitively as a minimalistic bust of a bubbly-cheeked, large-eyed figure, this bald Chosen One is eternally cheerful, with signature long earlobes that symbolize a conscious rejection of the material world in favor of spiritual enlightenment.
For additional information, contact Diego Dietrich, marketing director, at marketing@newriverfineart.com or call 954-524-2100. Click to view New River Fine Art’s past auctions conducted through LiveAuctioneers, complete with prices realized.
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