Andy Warhol created digital art in 1985 and left it on obsolete floppy disks; 36 years later, 5 recovered works sold as NFTs for $3.38 million

American artist and filmmaker Andy Warhol created digital works on a Commodore Amiga computer in 1985. The files were saved on Amiga floppy disks and remained in The Andy Warhol Museum’s archives for nearly three decades before researchers recovered them in 2014. In 2021, five of the recovered digital works were offered as unique NFTs by Christie’s and sold for a combined $3,377,500.

Andy Warhol Created Digital Works on a Commodore Amiga in 1985

Warhol experimented with digital art on a Commodore Amiga computer in 1985. The experiments were part of a commission from Commodore International to demonstrate the graphic capabilities of the Amiga 1000, as per a Carnegie Mellon University report.

The works included images featuring Campbell’s soup cans, Botticelli’s Venus and self-portraits.

Researchers Recovered 28 Previously Unseen Warhol Images

In 2014, members of the Carnegie Mellon University Computer Club worked with The Andy Warhol Museum and other collaborators to recover data from aging Amiga floppy disks stored in the museum’s archives.

The files were saved in an unfamiliar format. The team reverse-engineered the format and recovered 28 previously unseen digital images. Experts at The Andy Warhol Museum judged the images to be in Warhol’s style, and at least 11 had Warhol’s signature.

Five Recovered Warhol Works Became NFTs

In May 2021, Christie’s offered five unique NFTs based on five of Warhol’s digital works recovered from the floppy disks.

The five works included two self-portraits, a flower, Campbell’s soup can motifs and a banana on a blue background. The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts exclusively minted the five NFTs, which pointed to restored and preserved files from the 2014 recovery project.

Five Andy Warhol NFTs Sold for $3.38 Million

Christie’s held the online sale from May 19 to May 27, 2021. The five NFTs sold for a combined $3,377,500.

The exact sale total was $3,377,500, making $3.38 million a rounded figure.

From 1985 Floppy Disks to a 2021 NFT Sale

Warhol created the digital works in 1985. In 2014, researchers recovered 28 previously unseen digital images from the aging floppy disks. In 2021, five of those recovered works were offered as unique NFTs and sold for $3,377,500 at Christie’s.

Who Was Andy Warhol: Pop Art Pioneer

Andy Warhol (1928–1987) was an American artist and filmmaker and a leading figure of the Pop art movement of the 1960s. His work often focused on mass-produced images from American commercial culture.

Andy Warhol's Early Life and Career

Born in Pittsburgh, Warhol graduated from the Carnegie Institute of Technology in 1949 with a degree in pictorial design, as per a Britannica report. He later moved to New York City and worked as a commercial illustrator for about a decade.

Andy Warhol's Rise to Fame

Warhol gained attention in 1962 with paintings of Campbell’s soup cans, Coca-Cola bottles and Brillo soap pad boxes, as per the Britannica report. He later used photographic silkscreen prints to reproduce images of consumer goods and celebrities.

Andy Warhol's Films and Legacy

Warhol also became known for underground films such as Chelsea Girls, Eat and Blue Movie. His studio, the Factory, became a gathering place for figures from the film, music and art scenes.

He died in 1987. His will directed his estate toward creating a foundation for “the advancement of the visual arts,” leading to the establishment of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.