Cypherpunk

Artwork ➢ Cypherpunk Artist ➢ p.i.x.e.l.l.a.r.e. Text ➢ hex6c, Chiara Braidotti and p.i.x.e.l.l.a.r.e.

The origins of blockchain go back to the crypto-anarchism and cypherpunk movements of the late 80s. They advocate widespread use of strong cryptography (highly resistant to cryptanalysis) in an effort to protect privacy, political and economic freedom.

"Combined with emerging information markets, crypto anarchy will create a liquid market for any and all material which can be put into words and pictures.” Timothy C. May, The Crypto Anarchist Manifesto, 1988

"We the Cypherpunks are dedicated to building anonymous systems. We are defending our privacy with cryptography, with anonymous mail forwarding systems, with digital signatures, and with electronic money. [...] Cypherpunks write code. We know that software can’t be destroyed and that a widely dispersed system can’t be shut down.” Eric Hughes, A Cypherpunk Manifesto, 1993

It is interesting how in the above excerpt from the Cypherpunk Manifesto, dated 1993, we already find all the main features of today’s Web3: anonymity, privacy, digital signatures, digital money, code and distributed systems.

These early and farsighted movements are celebrated in this short series of three artworks, inspired by the Tagli (Cuts) made by Lucio Fontana in the context of his investigation of Spatialism.

"I cut, the infinite passes through there, the light passes." Lucio Fontana

Prompted by these words, the artist p.i.x.e.l.l.a.r.e. offered a reinterpretation of the concept of cutting and the idea of the infinite and light passing through an opening in a digital context. He focused on how to adapt these elements, namely the canvas, the slashes and the light-space in between, to the digital language while respecting the simplicity of their essence.

The resulting artwork is not merely a tribute to Fontana and an ideal bridge between past and present, but rather an experiment in addressing the questions his statement raises when transposed to the digital realm. How can one signify the liberating act of slashing a canvas, opening new horizons in the artistic scene, through a screen? What is the digital frontier of the infinite, of the mystery that such an idea carries about? Is there a new light shining through the rips of the old world? In an attempt to give these questions an answer through animation and new technologies, p.i.x.e.l.l.a.r.e. explored the idea of cutting by moving away from the physical act but rather using it as a symbol for the interaction with defining forces in the digital environment such as crypto anarchism and the cypherpunk movement.

In fact, the artist added to each work a sentence taken from the crypto-anarchist and cypherpunk manifestos as an homage to Fontana's tradition of marking the back of his works with handwritten phrases to preserve them from counterfeit and testify to the present moment. Serving as a token of authenticity, these words also reference the redefinition of the digital dimension.

Hinting at the “act of opening” - indeed akin to cutting something - the artist presents the “opening act” of cyberspace as we know it.

To enhance the spatial experience of the works, extending them beyond the screen through sound waves, each piece is complemented by a soundtrack featuring distorted hackremixes and the enigmatic voice of the artist Æther. This sonic combination shapes the atmosphere, immersing the viewer in a unique sensory world.

The works are designed to adapt to both short, 30-second-long viewings and extended, more hypnotic ones. Ideally, the videos should be experienced in a completely dark space using projectors or synchronized monitors in a 9:16 format. This way, in a multisensory interaction with flickering lights, subtle colors, moving words, and sounds, the viewer could depart on an emotional journey, breathing through the revolutionary legacy of Lucio Fontana Spatial Conceps.