A British poet has made history after selling a single poem for more than half a million dollars at a New York auction.
Writer Arch Hades sold her poem Arcadia for $525,000 at Christies in Manhattan – making it the most expensive poem ever sold.
The sale was billed as the world’s first fine art NFT and was a collaboration between the poet, contemporary visual artist Andrés Reisinger and grammy-winning musician RAC.
And it is also the first time poetry was sold as fine art through the medium of blockchain.
The poem is 102 lines long – making each line worth more than $5000. It is 1,000 words long so each word sold for $525.
Arcadia explores the concepts of modern-day anxiety and loneliness as by-products of cultural and societal constructs.
The 21st century Romantic poet has penned three bestselling poetry books despite only having written professional poetry for three years – ‘High Tide: Poetry and Postcards’, ‘Fool’s Gold: Poetry and Postcards’ and ‘Paper Romance’– about love and heartache.
She is the first living poet to have their work sold at this level. She joins three other British artists in the high profile event including Peter Doig, Banksy and Damien Hirst.
Arch Hades said: “Just to be able to create a work of art with a message I’m so passionate about with my two friends, whom I respect and admire so deeply, was already a dream come true.
“Then to have our work selected by the world’s leading art auction house for such a prestigious sale alongside titans like Doig and Hirst, is something I never thought was possible for me.”
Now having the most expensive poem ever sold is just an incredibly surreal feeling and I’m thrilled with how well Arcadia was received by everyone. I’m hoping this inspires other women and creatives to go after whatever it is they’re passionate about, nothing is too far out of reach.
Arch Hades
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