AI-Powered Messi Artwork Sells for $1.87 Million at Christies

An AI-generated digital artwork by Refik Anadol, based on Lionel Messi’s iconic 2009 Champions League header, sold for $1.87 million at a Christie’s online auction. Titled Living Memory: Messi - A Goal in Life, the eight-minute 16K video sculpture uses biometric data and benefits UNICEF-backed education programs through Inter Miami CF Foundation.

After the gavel fell at Christie’s online auction on July 22nd, an AI-powered artwork celebrating Lionel Messi’s iconic 2009 Champions League final header fetched an impressive $1.87 million. Created by Turkish-American artist Refik Anadol, the piece titled Living Memory: Messi – A Goal in Life, used millions of data points and advanced AI tools to reimagine Messi’s most cherished goal. The eight-minute immersive video blended footage of the goal with abstract visualisations based on Messi’s biometric data, including his heartbeat and breathing during interviews.

The digital artwork was showcased in a public exhibition at New York’s Rockefeller Centre as part of Christie’s 10th Art+Tech Summit. The project was launched under the “A Goal in Life” initiative by the Inter Miami CF Foundation, Messi’s current club with all proceeds going toward nonprofits, including UNICEF, supporting education across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Messi personally chose the 2009 header as his favourite goal. Anadol, known for transforming data into visual art, previously gained attention with works like Unsupervised – Machine Hallucinations at MoMA. This latest creation underscores the growing fusion of sports, art, and technology in the digital age.