Critical mining, Blockchain and Bitcoin in contemporary art

Abstract

The Bitcoin was originally conceived as an electronic decentralized system for capital transactions. Each node (user) has the same opportunities to get a reward when validating a collection of transactions (block). In the last years, this system has triggered a competitive struggle in which computing power is the most important variable for earning Bitcoins. This involves the use of large computers farms spending physical and environmental resources, a struggle that benefits only the owner of the most powerful and efficient technology.

This paper examines different examples of artworks based on blockchain technology, in particularly how artistic practices are able to explore critically Bitcoin mining processes and which are the factors provoking the Bitcoin being suspicious to be dangerous for society.

The objective is to connect aesthetic experiences, creative practices and artistic products analyzing four different spheres; technical, ideological, ecological, and economical. Practically introduces three artworks; Bittercoin, the worst miner ever[1], Bitcoin of things (BoTs) and Bitcoin traces, developed between 2014 to 2017, examples helping to expand frontiers opening a dialog, tracing their historical influences in contemporary and critical art.

[1] Bittercoin, the worst miner ever URL: https://escuderoandaluz.com/2016/03/03/bittercoin/