Madonna and Beeple's NFT Collaboration Mother of Creation Sparks Debate on Digital Corporeality

In 2022, Madonna collaborated with Mike Winkelmann, who goes by Beeple, to launch an NFT collection titled Mother of Creation. This series features three videos where a CGI Madonna gives birth to unusual entities like a tree, butterflies, and metallic centipedes. The pieces were auctioned on SuperRare to benefit women’s charities. Reactions ranged from skepticism to criticism, with Hyperallergic publishing a piece questioning the project. The artwork draws from feminist influences, referencing works such as Monica Sjöö’s God Giving Birth and Judy Chicago’s The Dinner Party. The exhibition Let’s Get Digital! at Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi in Florence, showcasing works by Arsham and Beeple, runs until July 31, 2022, exploring digital art's relationship with the human body.