Height Zero – Eternal Confirmation of its Genesis
Acrylic on canvas
30″ x 40″ | 76cm x 102cm
Nov 28, 2022 – Block height 765118
I started this piece in early October of 2022 after a six year break from painting. At first I was hesitant to come out of the gate working on a larger canvas, but I was encouraged by my friend to go big. So I did.
It’s no secret that bitcoin is a significant part of my life. It’s been a consistent thread for over a decade and my passion for it has only increased with the passage of time. However, when it comes to painting, I don’t want to paint bitcoin art. I want to paint art that is authentic to me and if it happens to be inspired by bitcoin, so be it.
There’s an obvious pattern with the subject matter of my canvas paintings—I gravitate towards space and hard sci-fi themes. It’s a versatile playground to depart from the familiar but still be anchored to many of the rules that govern our actual reality. The constraints are challenging and worthwhile.
I’ve always been intrigued by bitcoin’s enigmatic origin and its persistence in the face of all who wish to change or destroy it. This, and its other fundamental properties have already convinced many to begin using it as the foundation to construct parallel systems that subvert the existing order. It’s not much of a leap from here:
The idea of building entire civilizations atop a technology of unknown origin is as sci-fi as it gets.
Height Zero is best viewed from the perspective of a space-faring explorer who has traveled a vast distance to personally verify the existence of the first block. These mysterious blocks have served as the bedrock of his species’ civilization for centuries, yet little is known about the advanced alien race that initially constructed them and left the blueprints behind to be discovered.
These ancient blocks, exposed to the harshness of the elements for millennia, appear entirely intact and free from erosion or wear. This is the kind of guarantee that gives our explorer’s civilization the confidence to plan for the next hundred years or more.
A painting is a commitment. You end up spending a lot of time with a piece and becoming immersed in the mini universe that you’re building. I’ve grown quite fond of this concept and have already come up with several derivations of this theme that I may explore in the future.
To reiterate, I didn’t set out to explicitly create bitcoin art. There are no overt references to bitcoin, but the work is very clearly influenced by it. Most won’t pick up on it but bitcoiners will immediately see it. It’s a real if-you-know-you-know situation (and OPSEC-friendly, if you’re into that).
During the process of painting, I started to really appreciate this approach to reconciling my personal style with the profound effects bitcoin continues to have on my life. So with that, I’ll continue to not paint bitcoin art.
-Ti K
