About The Artist
CPN seems the obvious choice as our inaugural Artist – iconic works with bold colours and an inimitably distinctive style. He’s a Graphic Designer & co-founder of Paralelní Polis – a Czech Cypherpunk Collective. His screen prints adorn the walls of Bitcoin Maximalists around the world.
His ikigai/mission is to transform Bitcoin’s memes & historical milestones into a variety of visual media with a focus on large format, manual screen printing techniques.
"I have the feeling Bitcoin’s the last Underground Movement on Earth."
The Interview 1/3
Martin was a Graphic Designer for two decades before co-founding Paralelní Polis & creating the visual face of it & Bitcoin Coffee in Prague. He’s also a member of Ztohoven Art Collective. Paralelní Polis deserves an article in its own right of course. “Parallel City” is a fiercely independent collective of Czech & Slovak Cypherpunks who’ve set up uber hip, non-fiat, Cafe community hubs. There are branches in Prague & Vienna – and coming soon to a High Street near you we hope. PP is a real world manifestation of emancipation from fiat money.
"I found a lot of inspiration in Paralelni Polis project and the people I met there.
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Surrounded by Czech & Slovak Bitcoiners he went deep down the Rabbit Hole and now creates iconic Bitcoin Art, taking profound inspiration from Bitcoin’s memes & historical milestones. He creates visuals, collages, drawings & large format, limited, signed screen prints using a manual screen printing machine. These are then overlaid with separate acrylic colour frames to create the final image.
This analogue approach to the creative process, particularly in a space and time that’s going more digital, not just in process but final form, is one of the things that really sets him apart & makes his work so unique.
Artists observe life and society. Art is a product of society, an account even, not the other way around. Conceived by these observations an artist’s work when birthed will often reflect strong opinions on life, politics and society.
"For me it’s important that we have this payment option which has nothing to do with the state."
Art Collection 1/2
The Interview 2/3
Modern Art hasn’t yet communicated the truth of fiat’s failure in society and the beacon of hope many see in Bitcoin. CypherPunkNow is at the vanguard of the creative Bitcoiners expressing observations about society that are becoming, day by day, more real for to the masses. The solution he sees in the separation of State & Money is the inspiration at the heart of all this.
"At the Baltic HoneyBadger Conference 2019 – I got infected by Bitcoin Maximalism. Since then I’ve fallen deeper & deeper into this.
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His work is displayed widely at Paralelni Polis and last year he presented at the Baltic HoneyBadger & Lightning Conference in Berlin. Meeting so many Bitcoin extremists, zealots and maximalists really pushed him down the rabbit hole and Bitcoin’s gravitational pull has been unstoppable since.
You’ve most likely seen his recent collaborations with Citadel21 & Bitko. Martin’s prints now adorn the walls of some of the highest profile names in Bitcoin. Despite having such an analogue process he is still fascinated by the technological trends within Digital Art.
The Interview 3/3
"I’m also watching the NFT market which is absolutely incredible but its on Ethereum which I can’t trust but its huge."
NFTs are the ‘New Black’ right now but being on Ethereum isn’t something that massively appeals to a Maximalist like Cypher Punk Now. Perhaps NFTs are another application test network that could be integrated within BTC infrastructure in the future. There’s no doubt that providing Artists with a new source of income is a good thing.
For the time being he’s focusing on signed, limited, physical art, created in an analogue realm but with a message that transcends any medium or technology. Each print is provided with a digital certificate of authenticity, stored on the BTC blockchain via Verisart.
We’re convinced CPN’s works are already established as iconic Bitcoin Art. Their vision & brilliance is enough but the timeless quality of his techniques of his production solidify this. To be honest, his art is a steal. Own your own piece of history – buy a CypherpunkNow.
