Sunflower Seeds / Blockchain Performance
Fran Ilich & Artistic Bokeh (2012)
“Globalized capitalist markets use finance as a means to extract surplus and value from localized world production - relying on networks of power to do so. But finance can also be reversed engineered so that it becomes the seed for new forms of cooperation, collaboration and socialization, drawing on and building networks through virtual communities. Used creatively, finance can actually further the prosperity and efficacy of minority reports, marginal narratives, alternate commodity markets, social currencies, hacktivism and other activist practices, as well as strengthen the hope of sustainability in creative digital labor and internet production practices.“ (text via eyebeam)
On display are 20 Ai Weiwei sunflower seeds that were purchased with Bitcoins generated by the BitcoinCloud. The transaction between Artistic Bokeh and SpaceBank stays active in the Bitcoin Blockchain and is publicly viewable. Initially, Ai Weiwei produced over 100 million seeds - the porcelain items were hand-painted by artisans in Jingdezhen. The seeds gained in value after the Tate Modern bought approx. eight million. In a Sotheby’s auction (2011) the seeds sold for £3.50 apiece. The Bitcoins that were used to purchase 20 seeds are now valued at approximately $6120.00 (as of Nov 26, 2013).
Sunflower Seeds / Blockchain Performance
Fran Ilich & Artistic Bokeh (2012)
“Globalized capitalist markets use finance as a means to extract surplus and value from localized world production - relying on networks of power to do so. But finance can also be reversed engineered so that it becomes the seed for new forms of cooperation, collaboration and socialization, drawing on and building networks through virtual communities. Used creatively, finance can actually further the prosperity and efficacy of minority reports, marginal narratives, alternate commodity markets, social currencies, hacktivism and other activist practices, as well as strengthen the hope of sustainability in creative digital labor and internet production practices.“ (text via eyebeam)
On display are 20 Ai Weiwei sunflower seeds that were purchased with Bitcoins generated by the BitcoinCloud. The transaction between Artistic Bokeh and SpaceBank stays active in the Bitcoin Blockchain and is publicly viewable. Initially, Ai Weiwei produced over 100 million seeds - the porcelain items were hand-painted by artisans in Jingdezhen. The seeds gained in value after the Tate Modern bought approx. eight million. In a Sotheby’s auction (2011) the seeds sold for £3.50 apiece. The Bitcoins that were used to purchase 20 seeds are now valued at approximately $6120.00 (as of Nov 26, 2013).