Chadwick Boseman Portrait Set to be Auctioned as NFT for Colon Cancer Research
The auction ends on Tuesday, April 27th.
Chadwick Boseman is the subject of a new piece of NFT art being sold to raise money for The Colon Cancer Foundation.
Unveiled just ahead of this year's Oscars ceremony, the piece, designed by Atlanta-based 3D artist, Andre Oshea, features a gilded silhouette of Boseman's face floating in a purple expanse. The artwork will be sold in an auction on the Rarible NFT marketplace, running from Sunday April 25th to Tuesday April 27th, with proceeds going to CCF. Established in 2008, the non-profit battles colon cancer through research, education, and advocacy. The auction hopes to bring in $1.2 million in donations for the non-profit.
Copies of the piece will also be included in the "Everyone Wins" gift bags handed out to nominees at the Academy Awards tonight, where Boseman posthumously earned his first Oscar nomination for his role in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. He'll contend with Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal,) Anthony Hopkins (The Father,) Gary Oldman (Mank,) and Steven Yeun (Minari,) in the "Best Actor" category. Viola Davis, Boseman's co-star in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, became the most nominated black actress in history with her nod for the film. Should she win, Davis would be only the second black woman in history to win "Best Actress." Halle Berry became the first when she took home the award for her Monster's Ball role in 2002.
Tonight's Oscars will also very likely feature a tribute to Boseman, who died in 2020 after privately suffering with colon cancer for four years. In the days following his death, the whole of Hollywood mourned the actor's loss. "Chad was an anomaly. He was calm. Assured. Constantly studying. But also kind, comforting, had the warmest laugh in the world, and eyes that seen much beyond his years, but could still sparkle like a child seeing something for the first time," said Black Panther director, Ryan Coogler, in a statement after the actor's passing.
See the Chadwick Boseman NFT above. Place your bid on it via Rarible today and tune in tonight to see if Boseman is honored with one of the night's top awards at the Oscars.