Renowned digital artist Beeple, known for his record-breaking $69.3 million NFT sale, has stirred up controversy with his latest artwork, “CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT.”
The piece, which depicts a cat resembling the digital persona of Keith Gill, better known as Roaring Kitty or DeepFuckingValue, being killed, has sparked speculation about the motivation behind the provocative imagery.
The artwork’s release comes on the heels of Roaring Kitty’s highly anticipated return to the spotlight after a three-year hiatus. Gill, a financial analyst and investor who gained fame during the GameStop short squeeze saga, recently hosted a livestream that drew over 700,000 viewers.
Gill’s reemergence has reignited interest in GameStop and the broader discussion surrounding decentralized finance and cryptocurrencies.
During the livestream, Gill carefully discussed GameStop’s future, emphasizing the company’s ongoing transformation and expressing confidence in its management team. He also displayed his GameStop positions, which had experienced paper losses of roughly $235 million amid the stock’s volatile price movements.
Meme coins launched mostly from Solana which bear some relation or reference to Roaring Kitty such as GameStop (GME), Dumb Money (DUMB, also GME), and Roaring Kitty (KITTY) have gained renewed traction from retail investors following these developments.
Beeple’s artwork, with its seemingly pointed reference to Roaring Kitty, has added fuel to the already heated debate surrounding the intersection of traditional finance, decentralized movements, and digital assets. Some have speculated that the piece may be a commentary on the risks associated with the hype and speculation surrounding meme stocks and cryptocurrencies.
Despite these, however, some have questioned the timing and intent behind Beeple’s artwork, given Roaring Kitty’s influential role in mobilizing retail investors and shaping market dynamics. The provocative imagery has also raised concerns about the potential impact on the already volatile GameStop stock price. Some experts have also commented that Roaring Kitty’s recent return to the scene could spell out an oncoming meme coin supercycle.
As an artist known for his thought-provoking and often politically-charged digital creations, Beeple’s seeming commentary into the GameStop frenzy has only intensified the scrutiny surrounding his work.