(Beverly Hills) Beatles fans will not be able to touch them but will have plenty of time to admire them like any other collector’s item: Julian Lennon is auctioning off a series of personal memorabilia in the form of NFTs, certified digital works that make rage on the art market.
Posted at 9:45 p.m.
Centerpiece of the first lots put up for sale by John Lennon’s son via Californian house Julien’s Auctions on February 7, the NFT version of the song’s handwritten notes Hey Jude is estimated between 50,000 and 70,000 dollars.
Originally titled Hey Jules, this Beatles hit was written in 1968 by Paul McCartney to comfort Julian Lennon, who was having a hard time with John Lennon’s separation from his mother Cynthia.
The NFT version of these notes is presented as an animation where the words are gradually inscribed on the page and is accompanied, like each of the lots, by an audio commentary by Julian Lennon placing the object in its historical and sentimental context.
“For me, it’s not enough to just look at an image if I’m a buyer. So I wanted to add something a little more personal, to tell a little story that relates to the image”, explains Julian Lennon.
Julian Lennon is also selling NFTs of the Afghan coat worn by his father on the set of Magical Mystery Tour (estimated between 8,000 and 10,000 dollars), of his black cape from the film Help (10 to 20,000 dollars) and three guitars, including one offered by John Lennon for Christmas to his son.
Part of the proceeds from the sale will go to the foundation created by Julian Lennon and will be dedicated to the capture of CO2 atmosphere to curb global warming.
Julian Lennon has plans to sell other NFTs from his collection through Julien’s Auctions but does not plan to physically part with his memorabilia. ” No chance ! It represents 30 years spent collecting objects that are very, very personal. And you know, I haven’t had so many things from dad, so I cherish them, ”explains the artist with emotion.
NFTs (for “non-fungible tokens”) are certificates of authenticity associated with a virtual object which they thus make unique. Virtually unknown just a year ago, they represent for some the new goose that lays the golden egg on the contemporary art market.
Julian Lennon, both musician and photographer, says he is “intrigued and interested” in this “new form of art”. And if he has not yet taken the plunge, he does not rule out designing NFTs from his photos.
He also spent four years recording a new album which he plans to unveil “the first songs in the spring”.