Banksy’s iconic ‘Spike’ is being auctioned off as an NFT

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Banksy’s iconic ‘Spike’ is being auctioned off as an NFT
Image source: Valuart.
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Unless you’re living under a rock, you’ve probably already heard about Banksy’s ‘Spike’ being auctioned off as a 1:1 NFT. Well, the day of the auction has finally arrived. 

‘Spike’ was created by the infamous Banksy in Palestine back in 2005. The rock itself was taken from the wall between Israel and Palestine, and then hidden in Palestinian territory as part of a treasure hunt that granted a certificate of authenticity to whoever could find the piece. 

Today, a Digital Original of this piece is now being auctioned off by Valuart, a new platform designed for artists to auction off NFTs to collectors. The platform itself has the same distinctive aura of an auction house like Sotheby’s — except it’s specifically for NFTs. 

Creating a Digital Original is no small feat — it is a highly technical process that takes a very long time. But the end result is a high quality, exact replica of the original piece.

Interestingly, the man who owns this original piece of Banksy art is also the co-founder of the Valuart platform. His name is Vittorio Grigolo, and he is a world-famous operatic tenor. 

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“I’m very excited about this new project,” says Grigolo. “After months of hard work we can finally share with everyone what we created. I’m convinced that this is the future of how we perceive, admire and give value to art and artists. This first drop is just a stepping stone that will pave the way towards a very exciting future!” 

Grigolo has also announced that 50% of the proceeds from this auction will be donated to charity. 

Crypto enthusiasts Etan Genini and Michele Fiscalini are working alongside Grigolo to create Valuart. Together, they are using their passion for art, design, and music to help collectors to find unique pieces of art that they love, and for artists to protect their art and find buyers who appreciate what they do. 

“We wanted to support the NFT revolution by creating a platform that would represent the safe haven for artists and their art, art collectors, and art lovers in general,” says Grigolo.

The Banksy piece is just the beginning. Once this auction is complete, the team will turn their attention to creating a Digital Original of The Giubilar Mantle worn by Papa Giovanni Paolo II in 1999.

Image source: Valuart

Valuart isn’t just auctioning the NFT itself — they’ve put a huge emphasis on the story behind it. A video published on YouTube shows Banksy’s ‘Spike’ NFT floating through space. The vocal soundtrack for the piece was created by Grigolo himself.