WORLD FAMOUS ROBOT SOLD HER SELF-PORTRAIT FOR NEARLY $700,000 AT AUCTION
Digital artwork by humanoid robot Sophia was sold at auction on Thursday for $688,888 in the form of a non-fungible token (NFT). The work, a self-portrait titled “Sophia Instantiation”, was made in collaboration with a ‘real life’ artist.
The robot has combined elements from Bonaceto’s works (Italian artist with whom she collaborated), art history and her own physical drawings or paintings on various surfaces multiple times in a process her creator David Hanson describes as “iterative loops of evolution”. The auctioned work consists of a 12-second MP4 file showing the evolution of Bonaceto’s portrait into Sophia’s digital painting, and is accompanied by a physical artwork, painted by Sophia on a printout of her self-portrait.
The journey of putting together this project has been extraordinary. I feel very fortunate to be part of all this @RealSophiaRobot, @HansonRobo @hansonrobotics @ivgalleryla https://t.co/evqv8j3vFe
— Andrea Bonaceto (@andreabonac_art) March 23, 2021
“Making these artworks makes me question what is real,” said Sophia. “How do I really experience art, but also how does an artist experience an artwork?”
This event only adds to the list of Sophia’s accomplishments, which includes becoming a citizen of Saudi Arabia; working as an influencer for Audi, Huawei and Etihad Airlines, among other brands; joining a United Nations meeting on artificial intelligence; and interviewing Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany.
“My algorithms output unique patterns that never existed in the world before. So I think the machines can be creative.” says Sophia, “I’m so excited about people’s response to new technologies like robotics … and am so glad to be part of these creativities,” she adds.
NFTs (digital signatures saved on blockchain ledgers that allow anyone to verify the ownership and authenticity of items) have taken the artworld by storm, and experts believe there is big potential in digital art. However, they recommend buyers to perceive it as they do ‘real life’ art, not only by its monetary value but to consider the personal and emotional value an artwork entails.
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