About The Artist
Art is an undeniable feature of human societies. From cave paintings to Lowry. From ancient frescos to Tracy Emin. You may love the story telling and simplistic beauty of cave paintings and hate the fiat naval gazing of “My Bed” but art has always been a part of our humanity.
Unlike the sciences, which have predictable laws, art is human expression. Story telling, messaging, communication of ideas. Good art is as limitless, as it is inspirational. It can be a commentary on the current human condition, whether it is whispered or shouted through a megaphone.
Art has the power to move humans into action and as such it can be propagandistic in the most useful of ways.
ZETRA is a German clothes designer, graphic designer, fine artist and Bitcoiner and is on the bleeding edge of the coolest counter culture in the world right now. He is amplifying the word of Bitcoin through beauty at a time when the world really needs it.
Check his interview here and feast your eyes on his super cool work.
– Badders
AN ACT OF LOVE
ZETRA is yet another very talented artist at the vanguard of the Bitcoin revolution.
While Bitcoin will always keep on doing Bitcoin things we are many that are doing what we can to push Bitcoin into the super cycle. Writers, memers, artists, devs, videographers, musicians, designers et al are building, broadcasting, educating, creating and promoting what is needed to bring about what we all want to see: economic liberty for all and with that the freeing of the human spirit.
Every painting, meme and word is another arrow head that will rain down over the central banking elite. Every tune, line of code and piece of design is a seed standing a good chance of reaching the mind soil of a noob and spreading from there.
It’s exciting to see. It’s invigoratingly inspiring to be part of.
For ZETRA it’s no different. He first got in during the bull run of ’17 but it took a while to become properly orange pilled. Since then the pull of sharing one’s knowledge and educating friends and family has been strong. He hasn’t had as much success as he was hoping for in on boarding loved ones but he has still touched quite a few.
I understand and have a lot more sympathy for missionaries now. My father in law is often trying to speak to me about Christ and the Bible but historically I have never been that receptive.
I don’t need anyone to define God to me. After all I have spent time in its presence several times when hero dosing on psilocybin.
Now I know he just wants to save us!
Is that any different to us? We are all trying to get our friends and family onto the arc before the financial rapture comes for us all. It’s an act of love. Do they think their $1000 is going to pump our bags?
"Bitcoin is inspiration. Why not contribute. Why not make art that reflects and communicates the word of Bitcoin."
Physical Artworks
#01
#03
NON STOP CREATIVE
It’s not the first time ZETRA finds himself at the vanguard of a new cultural/political movement.
When he left school as a 16 year old, determined to carve out his own creative path, he got more and more involved in the blossoming hiphop scene. The 90’s were now underway and hiphop had come to Europe in a big way. ZETRA had always been driven by his creativity so perhaps it was natural that his foray into the hiphop scene was as a graffiti artist. The father of one of his friends was heavily involved in the textile industry and when he saw ZETRA’S graffiti crew’s work he got them involved in fabric design. After a little while this lead to the gang setting up their own clothing label, which was a mainstay on the European hiphop scene for 13 or so years.
When the company started to break down he cut his losses and went onto becoming a graphic designer. It was a natural outlet for his creativity and an obvious next step. He did this for many years and he might have never started pivoting to Bitcoin art had it not been for the so-called “pandemic”. Whether it was just because he now had time to commence a new project or whether it was because he had the mental space to focus mental energy into Bitcoin it resulted in a collection of super cool Bitcoin art.
"A good idea is everything! First you don’t think that it will change anything. Then you realise ideas are changing everything."
A WORK OF QUALITY
Once you come to know ZETRA just a little bit you realise this is very true to him.
Aesthetically it has references to several aspects of his life. Aerosol art is the base layer of this work much like his early hiphop creativity was the fertile substrate for everything that came afterwards in his life. At the same time you will find the testimony of a graphic designer, the love of analogue as well as digital tools and of course you will find references to bitcoin, doh. Some quite literal, some more figurative in nature. There is the juxtapositioning of the organic shapes and textures set against a backdrop of laser-cut precision.
I like this grown-up, street inspired take on Bitcoin art. Bitcoin didn’t come from the boardroom, it came from the grassroots. It’s a street fighter not some old-money fencing nonce. Bitcoin is basic in the most sophisticated of ways and it’s its relative simplicity that makes it what it is.
The quality of ZETRA’S work has rightly put more focus on him. Whether this was something he was hoping for when he first started outputting Bitcoin inspired creativity is not clear to me and neither does it matter. His work is now on walls all over the world and he even created the artwork for one of the coveted Tony Hawk skate decks that were displayed at Bitcoin 2021. Something I’m sure must have given him all the feels.
I have a lot of time for ZETRA and I have a lot of time for his art. The vanguard is stronger because of him. We will win.
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Check out my chat with ZETRA (linked above) where we talked about:
His journey as an independent creative, clothing designer and Bitcoin artist.
The ways in which Bitcoin has changed him and lots more. Show him your appreciation on Twitter here. Ciao for now!
NFT Artworks
#01
#03
