2016-ART/INSTALLATION. Bitttercoin is an old calculator machine hacked to be used as a miner validating the pending bitcoin transactions in the blockchain. It combines Internet of Things (IoT), media archaeology and economics, and works as the most basic computer, increasing the time needed to produce bitcoins to almost an eternity.

The operations are displayed on the calculator screen and printed afterward, the paper accumulates around the machine making visible the amount of calculation required, as well as, the natural resources expended in the process, often covering the whole room and the calculator itself. Bittercoin talks about the effort, resources and the working time expended that is conditioned by technological devices. In terms of efficiency, we paid a lot of effort to develop the slower miner ever; Bittercoin is able to calculate one hash per ten minutes, consumes 80mA, Watts 220V * 0.08A = 17.6W and 10m of paper per hour.

Although highly unlikely, in the case of a successful mining of a block, the nonce would be sent back to the server and the corresponding bitcoins from the reward would be deposited in our bitcoin wallet. DOWNLOAD: Critical mining, Blockchain and bitcoin in contemporary art.

Project by Martín Nadal & César Escudero Andaluz.

Originally, the calculator consumes 80mA, Watts 220V * 0.08A = 17.6W and 10m of paper per hour.

Exhibitions:

2021.* Nam June Paik Art Center & ZKM. Open Codes. Networked Commons. (Korea).
2021.* Macao International Art Biennale , The Art of Interface, Macao, (China).

2021.* UnitLondon NFTism: No Fear in Trying, a historic NFT group, (Great Britain)

2019.* Drugo More, Critical Triggers, (Rijeka).

2019.* Chronus Art Center (CAC) and ZKM, Open Codes, (Shanghai).

2019.* Galeria Tabacka, Blockchain in art, (Slovakia).

2019.* Bureau Europa, The Architecture of Trust” (Netherland).

2019.* Mobile Week, Disseny Hub Barcelona, (Spain).

2019.* Aksioma, Critical Tiggers, (Slovenia).

2018.* Kate Vass Galerie Perfect & Priceless, Value System on the Blockchain, (Switzerland).

2018.* Ars Electronica ERROR, The Art of Imperfection, Volkswagen We Space (Germany).

2018.* Ars Electronica @ SAP Headquarter Pavillion Walldorf (Germany).

2018.* Science Gallery “HUSTLE” Detroit (USA).

2017.* ZKM Zentrum für Kunst und Mediem Karlsruhe, Open codes (Germany).

2017.* NODE Forum for Digital Arts, DESIGNING HOPE, Frankfurt (Germany).

2017.* ADAF 13th Athens Digital Art Festival, #POSTFUTURE, Athens (Greece).

2017.* WRO 17th Media Art Biennale, DRAFT SYSTEMS, Wroclaw (Poland).

2016.* ARS ELECTRONICA FESTIVAL, RADICAL ATOMS, Linz (Austria).

Pics Marcin Maziej, Natalia Kabanow, Patricia Cadavid.

Press/Publications:

Artists Re:thinking the Blockchain

Artreview.com “Will the Blockchain make art disappear?” By J.J. Charlesworth

We Make Money Not Art