MARTIN NADAL
Martin Nadal, a media artist based in Berlin. With a degree in Computer Engineering and additional training at Kunst Uni, Linz, Austria, Nadal immerses his audience in deep explorations of how technological frameworks such as blockchain and neural networks are shaping our era and our perception of it.
Throughout his career, he has made his mark at prestigious international institutions, from the Nam June Paik Center in Korea to the ZKM in Germany. However, beyond his striking work, what sets Nadal apart is his ability to translate technological complexities into visual narratives that question and reflect on our relationship with technology. His pieces, such as "FANGØ" and "Bittercoin" (made with César Escudero), are palpable examples of this confluence between art, innovation and social criticism.
by Cesar Escudero Andaluz and Martín Nadal
Repurposed coffee grinder with Wi-Fi microcontroller with sensors
Unique
Description:
The Bitcoin was conceived as an electronic decentralised system for capital transactions. Each node (user) had the same opportunities to get a reward when validating a transaction. In the last years, this system has triggered in a competitive struggle in which computing power is the most important variable for earning Bitcoins. This involves the use of large equipment, computers farms spending physical and environmental resources. A dispute that benefits only the owner of the most powerful and efficient technology. Causing A BIG WASTE OF ENERGY!!!! Bitcoins of Things (BoT) transforms this “Crazy” way of producing Bitcoins into a playful Lottery.
HOW!!!!?? The Bitcoin mining process consists of finding a random number called “Nonce”, which added to the Headerblock and through a Hash function returns a number (hash value) that if starts with a sufficient number of zeros (difficulty) can be validated by the Blockchain network. When this number is found a reward of 12.5 Bitcoins (approx 4300€) is earned by the miner.
The BitCoin of Things (BoT) miner combines a Wi-Fi microcontroller and different sensors such as an accelerometer, microphones or buttons, generating a “Nonce” from its reads try to validate all the Blockchain pending transactions. The possibilities are lower, but it decreases the use of energy of the calculation processes making it more sustainable.
Finally, the microcontroller is attached to daily life objects, like keyboards, computer mice or salt-shakers, by using them the object can potentially generate a big number of Bitcoins, playing with the idea of finding the philosopher’s stone.
Exhibited at POSITIONS Berlin Art Fair, Berlin, Kate Vass Galerie Booth A18, September 2024