This series of harpoons tells the story of bitcoiners through the story of the Basque whalers.

A story of immense risk, met with equally immense reward, of new frontiers explored with relentless courage. Their search for new frontiers entangles in the story of those who are navigating the digital seas, braving the unknown, in promise of a decentralized future and forging new economic pathways.

Join me on a voyage to hunt the whales of FIAT.

The Legend:
In the early 16th century, the Basque whalers, hailing from the rugged coastlines
of the Basque Country, in today’s northern Spain and southern France, embarked on daring voyages into the treacherous, uncharted waters of the North Atlantic.
These intrepid seafarers, driven by the promise of wealth and adventure, hunted the mighty whale, a creature whose oil was as precious then as digital gold is today.
Their courage and ingenuity pushed the boundaries of their known world, freeing themselves from economic constraints.

The Harpoon:

In 2019, the story of the Basque whalers inspired me to go on a voyage to the Basque Country, in search of a way to artistically tell the story of bitcoiners through the lens of the history of the Basque whalers. I learned about this unique culture, it’s mysterious language that is a linguistic enigma and has no reference to any other language in the world.
I wanted to make a piece that was different from anything else.
While learning about the culture, I discovered the Makila. The Makila is an elegant walking stick, a Basque symbol of nobility and respect as well as a security element. It’s beauty, it’s secrets and the process of making it were intriguing. (You can read about those more on my webpage, link at the bottom).
The harpoon head is an exact replica of the harpoons used by the Basque whalers.
The top of the harpoon comes off and reveals a sword like shape, converting it into a security element.

This would later become a series of 21 harpoons, each telling a different Bitcoin story through its unique paintings and engravings. Some are personal stories, commissioned by bitcoiners around the world, and others, like this one, tell a part of the Bitcoin story. Each harpoon is 100% hand made, by three people, using age old techniques.

The Halving harpoon:

The echoes of ancient hunts resonate through the blockchain, where every halving marks a strike, forging legends in the waters of economic revolution.

From the Genesis block to the last mining reward in 2140, this harpoon is painted with 32 blocks, representing all the halvings Bitcoin will have. They are painted in red, orange, yellow and fluorescent green representing the different parts in every block. The red and orange fiery Bitcoin that is mined, is very present at the top and diminishes with every block, going down the harpoon until the last one has almost unnoticeable streaks of orange.
Around each block there are 4 symbols - 2 dots, one for each number in the genesis block hash, adding up to 64, a clog symbolizing PoW and a pickaxe symbolizing mining. Around one of the blocks, instead of a pickaxe is Thor's hammer Mjölnir, that like Bitcoin is a powerful weapon and a symbol of protection. They are painted in gold, to make reference to the digital gold that is Bitcoin.

The Genesis block at the top of the harpoon is represented with the snake from the garden of Eden. This time he is offering an orange pill to anyone who dares to take it. History started with an act of disobedience so take the Genesis orange pill.. 'when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.'

As the years go by and the halvings take place, the Trojan horse of Bitcoin infiltrates the strongholds of conventional finance, quietly unleashing the spirit of liberty. From the ashes of the FIAT system, Bitcoin rises like a phoenix, heralding a new era of decentralized sovereignty.
And finally when all Bitcoins will be mined, Prometheus will hand the fire of Bitcoin to the plebs.

The harpoon comes with a handmade stand in the form of a wave, made to fit, so it can be displayed and enjoyed from all sides.

If you want to learn more about these pieces and the process of making them, you are more than welcome to visit my site at: https://www.yonatvaks.com/about-1

This Lot Includes:

Physical Artwork:

• Dimensions: 66x8x6inches
• Weight: 22 lbs
• Materials: Mespilus Germanica Wood, Iron, Sterling Silver (930), Leather, Bull horn, Oil painting
• Item Type: Art Collectible

NO RESERVE

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