Monopoly DJ by Alec Monopoly sold for $13,750 at Heritage Auctions Urban Art Signature Auction on July 28, 2022 in Dallas. A contemporary street artist, Monopoly is known for his signature use of the board game character “Monopoly man” in his works as well as his alias.
According to the LA Times, Monopoly’s use of Monopoly man started during the financial crisis and was intended as a criticism of the billion dollar bailouts and deregulation associated with major banks. However, his use of the character has now turned into a more positive connotation of wealth and prosperity (and appears to be synonymous with Monopoly’s own upper-class jet-setting lifestyle). Other wealthy fictional characters, such as Richie Rich and Scrooge McDuck, also feature prominently in his work. Monopoly’s graffiti art can be found in the streets, spray painted on warehouses and buildings in major cities, as well as on canvas. Unlike some of his peers, Monopoly avoids vandalism, instead choosing abandoned properties to paint rather than government properties or businesses.
In addition to his success in the real world, Monopoly has also wasted no time capitalizing on the current non-fungible token (NFT) and metaverse craze. Having recently created an NFT collection titled “Rags to Richie,” it’s now been announced that Monopoly will be opening MetaMuseum in the Sandbox metaverse. Users will be able to view new art, enjoy parties and live music from Monopoly (who also happens to be a DJ), as well as access limited edition NFTs.
Some of our other favorites, from Heritage Auctions Urban Art Signature Auction on July 28, 2022 in Dallas, can be found throughout the issue.
