Who Do You Meet in The Elevator of The Bitcoin Citadel
by Cypherpunk Now | May 21st, 2020 | vol.2
A year ago at this time I was still afraid to bring my skin to the game. I didn't contribute, but I watched carefully what was going on on Bitcoin Twitter, and I discovered most of the people I have now drawn on the cover of Citadel21. I follow some of them, and feel that I know them intimately. Others I met in person last fall at Bitcoin Conferences, and some were suggested to me by Hodlonaut and Katia when I sent them the first sketch of my vision of the Bitcoin Citadel. A vision that, unlike the usual narrative of the fortress that protects individuals from the outside world, is more reminiscent of a utopian society in which every Bitcoiner is needed.
So this is how I approached the selection of the characters in the visual. I first wrote down a list of the most important professions, those that the citadel cannot do without. I then started to draw Bitcoiners that inspire me, and I must say that I enjoyed creating every character, every brush stroke. I was sorry that so many other bitcoiners would not fit into the visual. I would like to go ahead and draw you all ...
There are a total of 20 characters on the cover. I drew most of the illustrations right into the first sketch, and later redrew them into a more detailed illustration. My first sketch always has the best raw energy, because as I hurry to capture the idea, my hand is guided by a mysterious force that interprets my thoughts with maximum simplicity.
So, who do you meet in the elevator of the Bitcoin Citadel?
I would like the visual to hang on the wall of these twenty people at home, so I'm printing a limited series of 21 screen prints in five colors on 100x70cm paper. 
I will distribute these visuals to everyone seen on the cover:There will only be 21 copies ever printed, each copy has a unique certificate of authenticity recorded on the Bitcoin blockchain.20 of them are given away to the people linked with the images above (I will keep Satoshi's print in my archive until we know the address of his citadel...) I have yet to find out who should receive the visual as The Hacker and The Taco Vendor*.*(Please, send me suggestions on Twitter on worthy citadel representatives for these roles!)
This leaves one copy of this limited edition visual.
I would like to offer the last (21st) screen printing for sale, and since the whole visual is on the level of memes, I can't imagine a price other than 6.15BTC.
Yeah, you read correctly. I don't need to monetize this print, because I'm grateful for the opportunity to create artwork for the Citadel21 cover. Contributing with my art is of great value to me, but I do wonder if there is a whale, or at least a shark, who wants to enter the story and close it off with this crazy amount.
Both my wife and Citadel21 told me this is a silly price and no one will buy it, but I think it should be inaccessible like this. So any whale swimming around out there interested in obtaining the twenty-first copy, you can contact me at martinfischer@cypherpunknow.com.
Martin Fischer aka Cypherpunk Now creates art & screen-prints dedicated to Bitcoin, privacy and digital freedom. He co-founded and set up the visual identity of Paralelni Polis in 2014. Paralelni Polis is one of the projects of Ztohoven art group, where Martin has been a member since 2003. Martin’s art style is collage and raw hand drawing, which absolutely fit to screen print process, where colours are vibrant and every error has the magic seal of the hand made original. Martin grew up on a skateboard in the 90's, and was born behind the Iron Curtain in mid 70’s Prague.