Crypto is(n’t) Eco is a play on words and a way to bridge the gap for this exhibition, featuring artist Andrea Plaza Carrasco (Anplac) who is showcasing her Bitcoin series through a guided auditory interview with machine learning, digital ecosystems sensei and Co-Founder of Keyko Dōjō, Dr. Dimitri de Jonghe. Together they close the gap between wealth and nature, forcing us to rethink the value of money, understand the benefits of using the blockchain and the impact of our actions on society, the economy and the environment.
How can we change how we think about what has value?
Could a Greencoin change our relationship with money and the environment? This artwork by Andrea Plaza Carrasco (Anplac) titled 'Greencoin" is part of a Diptych from her “Art pour Argent” series representing a Bitcoin. You’ve probably heard about Bitcoin, and maybe about it's Proof-of-Work (PoS) framework and how it is not eco. As you travel through this exhibition, we'll journey through both sides of the coin in Anplac's Bitcoin series and by the end, unveil the Bitcoin energy demand problem while disseminating information about blockchain technology and dropping questions into the ether about environmental sustainability.
Greencoin (2020/2020) by ANPLACF.99 (FREE.99)
Have a listen to the audio context of Dr. Dimitri de Jonghe answering all these questions and more.
Meu rei (2020/2020) by ANPLACF.99 (FREE.99)
Can blockchain technology overrule the damaging effects to the environment?
The United Nations Environmental Program has shown reports that temperatures have reached a new high due to carbon pollution as a direct result of human activities. Anplac's work 'Meu rei' meaning "My king" in Portuguese, notes that the position that money currently has over many things rules what is important to humanity. What could happen if we used blockchain innovation to change the world and how we think about what has value in relation to money?
Meu rei (2020/2020) by ANPLACF.99 (FREE.99)
Listen to Anplac share her thoughts on the future of our planet in regards to utilizing the blockchain for green solutions.
What is keeping us from building a sustainable future?
Is blockchain technology just a solution in search of a problem? Well, not if blockchains can help ensure a significant reduction of corruption in governments and its collusion with the financial and energy industries. We have to think about who's responsible for funding projects that destroy the planet. Looking at the expression of Anplac's Diptych from the “Art pour Argent” series representing a Bitcoin, it says "I'm tired of this" an expression that can be found on many faces around the world who are in search of solutions to our environmental problems. Who's looking to hold someone accountable?
Sou rei token (2020/2020) by ANPLACF.99 (FREE.99)
Have a listen to Dr. Dimitri de Jonghe answer this question and expand on how we can be on par with nature.
Mapuche (2020/2020) by ANPLACF.99 (FREE.99)
Have you heard of the Mapuche?
Mapuche, in the Mapudungun language means "people of the land". Anplac conceived this work to honor all the indigenous people that still inhabit South America, who need to be made visible and heard. Another thing that needs to be heard is the hope Bitcoin brings to emerging communities such as indigenous people that currently inhabit South America.
Think about what would happen if cryptocurrencies could serve the same purpose as the buffalo and better position posterity over money.
Mapuche (2020/2020) by ANPLACF.99 (FREE.99)
Listen to why Anplac places nature above money through her Bitcoin series and why the Mapuche people are important to her.
Hong Kong (2020/2020) by ANPLACF.99 (FREE.99)
In this bitcoin, Anplac takes us to Hong Kong, where she created this piece after learning about what happened to this former British colony. This led her on a path to finding out about the history of Hong Kong and its colonization after the war. Noting that the main interest of the colonizer was opium trading and the huge profits they made. During her exploration she found a coin with a flower, that had a very particular, beautiful, calligraphic shape, a Chinese symbol where it was written, Hong Kong.
A small work of art to exchange for art.
FloraChain = Floral Supply Chain.
In observing the different sides of Anplac's coins, you may notice that one side is beautiful and the other is taken by an expression. The artwork titled 'Libre' seems to be bothered by the fact that we have to wait for faster progression of early movers to participate in using systems like the blockchain to help ensure floral industry standards are met. Take FloraChain for example, a first of its kind crypto technology, utilizing the blockchain's social impact capabilities by improve creditability and reducing supply chain malpractice. Flowers are not just beautiful to look at, they serve a vital role in our ecosystem.
Libre (2020/2020) by ANPLACF.99 (FREE.99)
Andrea Plaza Carrasco cares about her roots and thinks that the blockchain could be a great way to expand education about financial literacy outside of privileged borders.
Listen to Andrea tell us about an exciting realistic use case for the blockchain and Dr. Dimitri de Jonghe shares how a company can be tokenized.
Earth as a Casino.
The house being Earth in the casino concept, means nature always wins. It is no different to Anplac's expression of putting nature above the crown, she believes this too. The questions remains, do you believe and if you do, what value do you put on nature?
Leafcoin (2020/2020) by ANPLACF.99 (FREE.99)
Are cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin all a digital illusion or the currency of the future?
Listen to Dr. Dimitri de Jonghe breakdown what he thinks about money, generating value on the blockchain and how the world should evolve.
Bitcoin III (2021/2021) by ANPLACF.99 (FREE.99)
In moments of social, economic and environmental struggles, do we truly know what Social Impact is and are we doing enough to address this as a priority within the technology industry?
Listen to Dr. Dimitri de Jonghe tell us what Social Impact Farming is and what it can do.
Is our connection to money real?
Money is more than just paper, fiat currency or advanced computer software that solves mathematical problems. Money is voting power. The power of our decisions determines what supply networks and markets will thrive or die. Could money also be a symbolic, mutually shared illusion? As transferring money over the internet has made moving money so invisible and a lot easier, on the other side of the coin, it's getting a lot harder to stop cybercriminals who have been quick to exploit crypto's fast-moving technology. Just as money laundering can be conducted through purchases of high-value art through NFTs.
Token Head & Orange (2020/2020) by ANPLACF.99 (FREE.99)
What are those NFTs?
Many people around the world are asking questions about this emerging... um... art form? Platform?
NFTs are Non-fungible tokens that prove ownership of a digital item – image, sound file or text – in the same way that people own crypto coins.
Listen to Dr. Dimitri de Jonghe recount the definition of NFTs, digital rights and how it relates to the art market?
Matanza (2021/2021) by ANPLACF.99 (FREE.99)
Here Dr. Dimitri de Jonghe elaborates on the subject and how you can incorporate Universal Basic Income, art and much more into the mix.
Peligro ambiental (2021/2021) by ANPLACF.99 (FREE.99)
To put flesh on the bones, Anplac in her piece 'Peligro ambiental', which translates to environmental hazard, talks about the control we exercise against nature; privileging money, but extinguishing ourselves. She also shares with us in this audio interview, why she places crowns on her coins. We ask that you look inwards as she thinks out loud about money's position in your life in relation to nature.
Bitcoin is missing a chunk. That chunk being sustainability.
Selva sonriente = Smiling jungle.
In her work, titled 'Selva sonriente' Anplac believes there are still places in the world where the jungle is smiling because it is intact, or almost. The truth is, just 3% of the world’s ecosystems remain intact, studies suggest. The remaining smiling fragments of wilderness undamaged by human activities are mainly in parts of the Amazon and Congo tropical forests, east Siberian and northern Canadian forests and tundra, and the Sahara.
Tus ojos (2021/2021) by ANPLACF.99 (FREE.99)
With 'Tus ojos', Anplac alludes to the notion that we all have eyes to see but not into the future, nevertheless we can imagine.
Use your eyes, and ears to listen to Dr. Dimitri de Jonghe give us another option to help solve our cataclysmic environmental issues and how we can rethink value in regards to the blockchain being a game-changer for sustainability transitions.
Mis ojos (2021/2021) by ANPLACF.99 (FREE.99)
In 'Mis ojos', Anplac asks us to try and see through her eyes to imagine Bitcoin changing its framework to something more sustainable.
Can you see it happening?
Listen to find out what Dr. Dimitri de Jonghe has to say about this area under a lot of discussion in the crypto-community.
Bitcoin Ojos de Chile (2020/2020) by ANPLACF.99 (FREE.99)
In 'Bitcoin Ojos de Chile' Anplac refers to protests that occurred in Chile in October 2019 that were the central motivation for her to start a series called "Revolución", which is still in the process. In this Bitcoin, she quotes one of the symbols of this important event in Chile. "The eyes are our entrance to the soul. Out of sight, out of mind. I see you. We see you", Bitcoin.
How is Crypto Eco?
This exhibition isn't about being against Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency using its Proof-of-Work (PoW) framework. It is about closing the gap between wealth and nature, rethinking value of money, understand the benefits of using the blockchain and imagining the power our actions can have on society, the economy and the environment. Bitcoin and other decentralized currencies have exposed its energy demand problem, centralized banks have their own list of shortcomings exposed to the public, this exhibit seeks a fair evaluation on whether trusting banks over trustless ledgers offers sustainability.
Silvercoin head II (2020/2020) by ANPLACF.99 (FREE.99)
So we ask you…
How can we evolve in times of transition and whose ledger do you trust?
Here's some context from Dr. Dimitri de Jonghe about what he has to say about it.
"Crypto is(n't) Eco" was organized by Gilléad-Gaari Mziray, Founder and Chief Curator of F.99.
Special thanks go to Andrea Plaza Carrasco (Anplac) and Dr. Dimitri de Jonghe.
F.99 (FREE.99) is an independent art-driven research organization that curates exhibitions on the theme of international social improvement with artists of all disciplines from around the world who care to engage in contemporary issues facing society to provide different viewpoints to helps manifest change and solve problems.
