Bitcoin Whaler Basque Harpoon
A contemporary artifact for those who chose to navigate beyond the known.
A story of new frontiers, risk and reward, mastery and enterprise...
WHAT IS YOUR STORY?
This piece is about those moments in life when everything changes.
Something you followed without knowing where it would lead.
Sometimes these moments happen after tragic events, sometimes they happen while looking at the waves at the beach and sometimes you learn about something new and you know it will change your life.
The story then is what you do after that. Do you continue on like you did or do you sail into the open waters and discover new frontiers.
Only 21 will ever be made.
THE WORLD BEHIND THIS PIECE
WHALES
Probably one of the biggest memes in bitcoin and the financial world.
This piece tells the tale of a Bitcoin whaler through the story of the Basque whalers.
In the early 16th century, Basque whalers left the rugged coastlines of the Basque Country and ventured into the unknown waters of the North Atlantic.
They followed the promise of wealth and adventure. The whale oil they were after was the digital gold of its time.
Their courage and ingenuity pushed beyond the boundaries of their known world.
Centuries later, another group began navigating a different kind of frontier.
BITCOIN.
Their story is our story.
Their search for new frontiers becomes a story about those navigating the digital seas, braving the unknown and forging new sovereign economic pathways.
JOIN ME ON A VOYAGE TO HUNT THE WHALES OF FIAT.
WHY THE BASQUE?
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.
Their ancient language, Euskera, with its unknown origin and distinctiveness that sets it apart from all other languages, remains an enigma in the linguistic world.
The mysterious creation of Bitcoin and the language of freedom spoken by Bitcoiners form a modern parallel. Both stand as testaments to the extraordinary, charting paths unlike any other, wrapped in mystery and uniqueness.
THREE CRAFTS. ONE ARTWORK.
The Harpoon is created through the collaboration of three artists:
Makila shaft
Today, the third generation of the Alberdi family, with Beñat and Saioa at the helm, continues the artisan tradition of manufacturing high quality Basque makilas and walking sticks, preserving the authenticity and cultural legacy of the traditional Basque walking stick.
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Forged iron harpoon head
Second generation of traditional blacksmiths.
At Alberdi Forja, iron is crafted in styles ranging from the most traditional to the most avant-garde. Their track record and creativity are backed by more than 700 original designs—an approach to ironworking that originated in times immemorial and endures into the 21st century.
Concept, painting, symbolism and production
Yonat Vaks
You now who I am;)
THE MAKILA.
The shaft.
Since ancient times, walking sticks have been a symbol of strength and power, authority and social prestige. The heads of the various tribes and communities were often distinguished by the size and elegance of their stick. They became a widely used accessory of elegance and social status in the 16th century.
The Makila is an elegant walking stick, a Basque symbol of nobility and respect as well as a security element.
It is entirely hand-made through a manufacturing process that has been maintained over various centuries. The reliefs of the piece of wood proceed from incising the wild medlar in the forest. This operation causes the sap that rises through the tree branch to swerve round the cuts and to form the designs that characterize the “makila”. The branch is cut in winter, peeled in a furnace, stained with quicklime and heat straightened. It is adorned at the bottom with a brass, alpaca or silver ring carefully hand-engraved with Basque motifs. The other end of the rod is topped with a horn grip fixed by means of a threaded sleeve covered with plaited leather. The silver ring at the top is engraved with a personal phrase that characterizes its owner.
Beñat Alberdi is the only artisan in the Spanish Basque country that still uses these techniques. I met Beñat in his studio and from the beginning I knew he was the perfect guy for this.. his studio still had that charm of being a family business and a craft learned from father to son. They have made Makilas for Kings, Popes and heads of state.
Beñat Alberdi is the only artisan in the Spanish Basque country that still uses these techniques. I met Beñat in his studio and from the beginning I knew he was the perfect guy for this.. his studio still had that charm of being a family business and a craft learned from father to son. They have made Makilas for Kings, Popes and heads of state.
This is the beginning of the piece.
THE HARPOON HEAD
I wanted the harpoon to be as close as possible to the harpoons that were used by the Basque whalers, so I contacted the Red Bay basque whaling station in the north eastern tip of Canada, which is a Unesco World Heritage Site that provides the earliest, most complete and best preserved testimony of the European whaling tradition.
´Gran Baya, as it was called by those who founded the station in 1530s, was used as a base for coastal hunting, butchering, rendering of whale fat by heading to produce oil and storage. It became a major source of whale oil which was shipped to Europe where it was used for lighting. ´
Iron, the material the harpoon head is made of, is also very important in Basque culture. The harpoon head needed to receive the same respect as the shaft. I had to find an expert blacksmith.
Jon Alberdi is a very interesting man. He has been forging iron since he was 13, practicing it for half a century now. He learned the craft from his father. He also lives in a region known for its iron mines. Jon made this harpoon in the traditional way and it turned out that it wasn´t his first... when visiting his studio, he told me that he actually made the reproductions of the whaler harpoons for all the whaling museums in the Basque country.
THE PERSONAL STORY
HOW YOU BECOME PART OF THE ARTWORK
The paintings on the shaft tell your personal story.
Your risk, journey, transformation.
What universal symbols can tell your story? Are there any myths it connects to?
What were your reasons for entering the unknown?
These are all presented through oil paintings, colour, imagery and silver engraving.
No two commissioned harpoons are therefore the same.
ONE OF TWENTY ONE VOYAGES
This harpoon was commissioned by a collector from Spain. He wanted to tell his life story through his connection to his roots, his relationship with his wife and the things that most describe who he is.
The top of the shaft shows symbols from early Iberian pottery. We chose rich symbolic imagery, that dates mainly from the 4th to 2nd centuries BC of Mediterranean myths and ritual beliefs. Mainly animal figures that symbolizes power, protection and the journey of the soul. The colors connect to this early pottery as well as give the sensation of a revitalizing fire.
His relationship with his wife is in the middle of the shaft. They are each represented by a bird that has personal meaning to them. We also added a guitar, the ocean and other parts of his life that told his story.
The bottom of this shaft is inspired by Scrimshaw paintings. Scrimshaw is scrollwork, engravings, and carvings done in bone or ivory. Typically it refers to the artwork created by whalers, engraved on the byproducts of whales, such as bones or cartilage.
COMMISSION A HARPOON
01
Each Harpoon is made to order and developed through a personal process between you and me.
02
I create your story in visual form, through symbols and colour.
The makila shaft is hand crafted by Beñat, with silver engravings of Basque symbols and a phrase that represents you.
The top of the harpoon is engraved with a symbol you choose. Some collectors have chosen the Bitcoin symbol, while for others I created a custom seal of their family.
The harpoon head is hand forged in iron to uniquely fit the specific wood chosen for your harpoon.
Your story is painted on the shaft of the harpoon.
03
You receive a one of a kind piece with a custom made stand, ready to display.
INVESTMENT
€10,000
This is the price for harpoons similar to the ones on this page.
It includes the talks prior to the creation of the work, the research and sketches.
Each harpoon has:
- Custom oil paintings that depict your story.
- A phrase of your choice engraved in silver in the upper part of the harpoon.
- A custom symbol created for you that is engraved on the handle at the top.
- A custom made iron display stand.
There is an option to do more parts in silver and change the presentation. Each possibility will be quoted separately.
There is a down payment of 30% at the beginning and the rest is due upon completion.
Payment in Bitcoin is encouraged. Three complimentary limited edition prints of your choosing will be added to the commissioned piece when payment is done in Bitcoin.
