We are Salvadorian artists with the intention to express ourselves through art, stories, and metaphors.
Art Collections
Every art piece contributes to Bitcoin development and Bitcoin education for local Salvadorians.
Contributions
All our collections revolve around Bitcoin and its impact in the world and our country El Salvador.
Bitcoin-Only
Once upon a time, an uncle & his nephew decided to fusion Bitcoin with Salvadorean Folklore to create art.
Charlie Poka, Salvadorean designer & artist, and his nephew Nelson Inno, Salvadorean entrepreneur in Germany, started 21 Bitcoiners in September 2023 preparing for the grand debut at the Adopting Bitcoin 23 event in San Salvador,
El Salvador.
The Story - 21 Bitcoiners
Bitcoin-Nahua Calendar
The calendar is one of three unique art pieces that display the history of Bitcoin and its adoption in El Salvador, inspired by Nahuan culture and style. The art piece is made of 100% solid cedar wood from the pine family. It has a diameter of 45 centimeters, a depth of 5 cm, and weighs around 2.5 kilograms. It has a coat of slightly darker cedar tint as well as a surface coat of matte varnish to protect the art. From idea to exhibition, over 70 hours of design work, CNC machining, and handwork were put into each piece.
The story and interpretation of the calendar were elaborated by Nelson Inno, an entrepreneur in Germany, inspired by the virtues of Bitcoin. Its visual representation and style were designed by Charlie Poka, a Salvadoran artist and designer, drawing inspiration from the Pipil and Maya cultures.
The Nahua (academically referred to as Pipil) are an Indigenous group of Mesoamerican people inhabiting the western and central areas of present-day El Salvador. In the Bitcoin-Nahua Calendar, the story of Bitcoin and El Salvador is visually told in 21 chronological blocks.
Story
After meticulous research, the world's top scientists interpreted the meaning of the calendar as follows:
The prominent "₿" in the middle of the calendar clearly emphasizes the importance of Bitcoin in the Nahuan economy and society. Surrounded by the Jaguar and its third eye, a predominant predator in the Pipil region, the Jaguar not only represents the silent yet abrupt approach of Bitcoin's influence but also guides us through a time-travel journey to the past, the present, and the future.
The Jaguar points us to the four cardinal points and introduces us to four phases of Bitcoin: Creation, Growth, Settlement, and Global Adoption. While many details remain unclear or incomprehensible, archaeologists reached a consensus on the following interpretation of the 21 chronological blocks, serving as a reference to the 21 million Bitcoins:
1. A mysterious figure, possibly a reference to Satoshi Nakamoto, often found on other artifacts describing him as "The Creator" – it is still unknown who Satoshi was.
2. Description of some sort of system; similar drawings have been associated with the "Whitepaper" and "SHA-256" hieroglyphics.
3. Anonymous people, likely Cryptography experts examining the "Whitepaper."
4. Potential visualizations of Bitcoins being created from energy.
5. A coin with some sort of ancient code.
6. Most likely, a network of Nodes.
7. Hieroglyphics showing the "Genesis Block," as depicted in other ancient Nahuan artifacts.
8. Probably the beginning of the Blockchain being expanded.
9. This may be a reference to the first US Dollar, a forgotten failed currency, to Bitcoin exchange.
10. The tenth block resembles slices of pizza, the significance of which is unclear.
11. We see a Bitcoin being halved.
12. A Nahuan runner, with the number 85 on the chest.
13. Potentially a reference to an event referred to as the "Block-size War."
14. A visualization of some blocks finding a faster connection to others, possibly nodes.
15. A coin with a lightning symbol, which symbolized light speed in Nahuan culture.
16. A reference to the country of El Salvador, with mountains to the north and the Pacific Sea to the south.
17. Volcanoes erupt simultaneously, possibly a reference to something described as the "Volcano Bonds" in other found pieces.
18. A reference to the architecture of the famous Bitcoin City.
19. A cataclysmic event portraying the fall of the ancient FIAT currency denominated USD.
20. Bitcoin portrayed as "The Savior."
21. Mother Earth surrounded by Bitcoins, most likely a reference to the beginning of Bitcoin's dominance and adoption as the global monetary system.
Salvadoran Folklore ₿
A collection of 21 pine-wood Bitcoin "₿" symbols, hand-painted with the colors, shapes, and objects that represent Salvadoran folklore.
The Bitcoin Bs are 20 centimeters tall and have a depth of 3 cm. These were stylized one by one and have unique designs that symbolize the colorful lives in El Salvador, its Volcanoes, its Fauna, the beautiful Pacific to the south of the country as well as some legends from the region.
A few pieces represent other aspects of Bitcoiner's culture, mixed with Salvadorean elements and our own art style.
Please look at the gallery below to explore all the 21 unique pieces.
