Christie’s is pleased to present Cartography of the Mind, a Curated NFT Sale to benefit the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) in collaboration with Ryan Zurrer, founder of Dialectic and Vine Ventures. The sale will offer collectors a chance to bid on more than two dozen NFTs from a select group of the world’s most prominent digital artists, including Beeple, Sarah Meyohas, Refik Anadol, Mad Dog Jones, IX Shells, and more. From June 21 – 28, the artwork will be on view at an exhibition powered by Atomic Form at Christie’s New York galleries and open for bidding online on christies.com. Sale proceeds will generously be donated to support the research of potentially life-saving psychedelic-assisted therapies led by MAPS, a 501(c)(3) non-profit research, education, and advocacy organization founded in 1986.
Noah Davis, Christie’s Head of Digital Art, comments, “Working closely with Ryan and co. to assemble the radical art in Cartography of the Mind has been a blast. MAPS is an organization which has benefited an incredible array of people, many of them artists, and I’m ecstatic to know that proceeds from this auction will go towards furthering their mission.”
Ryan Zurrer remarks, “We are deeply honored that such an extraordinary collection of digital artists have come together for psychedelic science.”
MAPS is the oldest and most widely recognized organization in the emerging psychedelics space, led by the visionary Rick Doblin, Ph.D. Mental health has arguably become the most protracted problem of our time, and breakthrough psychedelic therapies may become a key component of addressing the solution to the global mental health pandemic. MAPS’ clinical research of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD, which is expected to be evaluated for approval by regulatory agencies beginning next year, has provided a model for many of the clinical research programs currently under way.
“There is an intrinsic connection between the psychedelic community and art. Art is often used to integrate psychedelic experiences, transcending language, culture, and experience to communicate what words simply cannot. We are honored to have these talented artists donate their art and grateful to Ryan and Christie’s for their support of MAPS,” says Rick Doblin, Ph.D., MAPS founder and executive director.
The Art & Artists
The collection of artists who have come together in support of MAPS is remarkable, representative of a diverse cross-section of the most definitive figures within the digital art movement. A number of the artists have shared stories of inspiration behind their own artistic journeys having been informed by psychedelic experiences, which comes across collectively through the curation of artwork.
Artists include: Beeple, Refik Anadol, Mad Dog Jones, IX Shells, Alex Grey, Maxim Zhestkov, Sam Spratt, WLOP, Maciej Kuciara, Sarah Meyohas, David Choe, Brendan Dawes, Ash Thorp, Archan Nair, Dangiuz, Jake Fried, Andrés Reisinger, Six n Five, Forgotten Runes Wizard Cult, Toomuchlag, Victor Mosquera, Tom Sachs, Joshua Davis, Fvckrender, Casey Reas, Dustin Yellin, and Justin Aversano.
ABOUT ATOMIC FORM
Atomic Form makes hardware and software for NFTs and Web3 media. We build for a blockchain-based internet-of-property that spans networks, currencies, video games, art, collectibles, and identification. We understand that community, shared interests, and resources are the backbone of distributed networks – be it stemming from the early Bitcoin Forums or the Trollbox or your local meet-up. We acknowledge the Internet as a proper noun and we design our products to fit the needs of a new generation of users to manage, explore and pave the way for what is to come while maximizing the utility of what is already here.
ABOUT MAPS
Founded in 1986, MAPS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit research and educational organization that develops medical, legal, and cultural contexts for people to benefit from the careful uses of psychedelics and marijuana. MAPS is sponsoring the most advanced psychedelic therapy research in the world: Phase 3 clinical trials of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD. Since MAPS was founded, philanthropic donors and grantors have given more than $130 million for psychedelic and marijuana research and education. MAPS has earned both the Guidestar Platinum Seal of Transparency and a 4-Star Rating from Charity Navigator.
ABOUT CHRISTIE’S
Founded in 1766, Christie’s is a world-leading art and luxury business. Renowned and trusted for its expert live and online auctions, as well as its bespoke private sales, Christie’s offers a full portfolio of global services to its clients, including art appraisal, art financing, international real estate and education. Christie’s has a physical presence in 46 countries, throughout the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific, with flagship international sales hubs in New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris and Geneva. It also is the only international auction house authorized to hold sales in mainland China (Shanghai).
Christie’s auctions span more than 80 art and luxury categories, at price points ranging from $200 to over $100 million. In recent years, Christie’s has achieved the world record price for an artwork at auction (Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvador Mundi, 2017), for a 20th century artwork (Andy Warhol’s Shot Sage Blue Marilyn, 2022, for a single charitable collection sale (the Collection of Peggy and David Rockefeller, 2018), and for a work by a living artist (Jeff Koons’ Rabbit, 2019).
Christie’s Private Sales offers a seamless service for buying and selling art, jewellery and watches outside of the auction calendar, working exclusively with Christie’s specialists at a client’s individual pace.
Recent innovations at Christie’s include groundbreaking sale of the first NFT for a digital work of art ever offered at a major auction house (Beeple’s Everydays, March 2021), with the unprecedented acceptance of cryptocurrency as a means of payment. As an industry leader in digital innovation, Christie’s also continues to pioneer new technologies that are redefining the business of art, including the use of hologram technology to tour life-size 3D objects around the world, and the creation of viewing and bidding experiences that integrate augmented reality, global livestreaming, buy-now channels, and hybrid sales formats.
Christie’s is dedicated to advancing responsible culture throughout its business and communities worldwide, including achieving sustainability through net zero carbon emissions by 2030, and actively using its platform in the art world to amplify under-represented voices and support positive change.
Browse, bid, discover, and join us for the best of art and luxury at: www.christies.com or by downloading Christie’s apps.
PRESS CONTACT:
Jessica Stanley
jstanley@christies.com | 212-636-2680