Alan Bolton – Not Fungible Chronicles interview

Almost a year in the making, The Halving is centered on an abstract Bitcoin mining rig (based on an Antminer S19 Pro) and set in a surreal environment.

Conceptually focused on the Bitcoin halving and the year 2020, there are easter egg elements around the rig based on extensive research and especially intended for crypto enthusiasts to find.

 

The story behind it

My artwork for The Chronicles series is based on the year 2020. A year that is very special to me it’s the year I got involved with crypto and NFTs. We will all remember 2020 for the rest of our lives. 

I chose to focus on one of the most important crypto events of the year –  the Bitcoin halving. And incorporate the overall 2020 theme that was continually on our minds throughout the year in this audio/visual artwork. 

 

What it represents

The artwork is based on an abstract Bitcoin mining rig set in a surreal environment. Throughout the piece, I’ve included many details from both the Bitcoin halving and the year 2020 in both the audio and visuals. I like to include details that will be noticed by crypto enthusiasts – each time you watch it, you might pick up on something new. Make sure to check out the piece with sound on!

 

Tell us about the process

I started the artwork in November 2021 so it’s almost one year in the making. This is both a blessing and a cure. It’s great to have time to create but then it gives me lots of time to make changes. I’ll often have the artwork finished, watch it for a few weeks, and then start re-doing parts of it.

Prior to starting, I did a lot of research compiling a list of all the elements I wanted to include in the artwork. Once I had my initial idea I started to build out the mining rig which would be the centerpiece. The rig elements are built off an Antminer S19 Pro. I originally had the idea of halving most of the items in the room but after trying this out I only decided to half the centerpiece.

I then added all of the easter egg elements from my list around the rig. The final part was the audio. Again I researched different elements including news reports and created an audio of the block message. It was a fun part of the creation process remixing together all the audio to go with the visual.

 

What is the key value of NFTs for you? 

The technology. The blockchain technology behind NFTs than can prove ownership over digital assets is one of the greatest inventions since the start of the internet.

 

Who/what inspires you?

Music, nature, spirituality, philosophy, and experiencing new cultures. I love to travel and I go through phases of studying different topics and these often heavily inspire my work. I created a piece at the start of the year called “Blissful Meltdown” which I created while visiting Barcelona. My latest artwork “Synchronicity” was created on the Island of Madeira, Portugal while studying the work of Carl Jung.

 

Your favorite NFTs- one that you’ve made and one that you’ve purchased and why they’re your favorites

My piece “In the Image of God” on MakersPlace is one of my favorite NFTs I created. It was created for the humA.I.ns exhibition by 0x Society. I loved the theme and really enjoyed creating it.

My favorite NFTs I collected have to be my first ones on Rarible. Back in 2020, there weren’t a lot of huge sales as it was mainly artists collecting from other artists. I didn’t realize it at the time we were all very early in the evolution of NFTs. I collected a few pieces back then that I will always cherish from artists such as Mezz, Higgsas, and Ufhouck.