Puzzle7 // The Double Bass Player

I’ve had some of the most exciting times in my personal #cryptoart history during the last few months.

I’ve not only sold all available puzzle-pieces and the master of „Mind Puzzle“ (for a total of 7.5 Eth) , but I’ve also made a bunch of sales at Rarible.

It felt a bit like the time of harvesting after I’ve put so much time and energy in my art during the last year.

Much thanks to everybody, who encouraged and supported me by commenting, spotting, collecting and sharing!

You all helped me to make this my most successful #cryptoart work to date.

But now enjoy the seventh part of a blog-series about the different puzzle-pieces of my latest /asyncart work called „Mind Puzzle„.

The Double Bass Player

This is actually a reference to a roommate in my living community, who studied playing the double-bass at the local music college. He generally was a nice guy and I was always fascinated by his instrument. I remember, that we’ve even played a few sessions, after he had listened to my dadaistic sounds (that I’ve already mentioned in Puzzle4 // The Dancer).

I also remember, that he was not only running around the flat with a bare ass at times, but also already had a half-bald head (which almost looks like a third eye in the drawing).

Although he was generally supporting me and even noticed my creative vein, my life was a touch too chaotic during that time. So all the good vibes suddenly disappeared, when I had met my girlfriend, who was not only creative, young and sexy, but also had the habit to tell people, what to do and what not.

The Girl with the Mask

From the description:

His right ear goes over into the head of a woman standing next to the bass player. It looks like she’s wearing a mask that reminds me of „Pussy Riot“. She is also holding up a kind of flag, sewn together from many small pieces.

My new girlfriend was kind of radical and started to tell the double-bass player and my other roommate, that they should stop eating meat and go vegan and things like that. She also had some kind of a Bipolar disorder and the flag, she’s holding, is a reference to this kind of complicated personality.

Personally I was so busy with my own life and with my new love, that I probably had forgotten to care enough for my room and my roommates.

It finally all went down the drain, when my roommates suddenly decided to kick me out. I didn’t even had a new flat or something and was forced to park my few things in the cellar of some friends.

Another friend invited me to live in his dorm room during his summer-travels and from there I was able to start my alternative service (with my own space), that I’ve mentioned in Puzzle3 // The Knight of the Frog.

Layer already sold

Like I mentioned in the introduction, the layer has already been collected. You can certainly always try to make an offer at the AsyncArt page or via OpenSea.

The current owner already received a bid of 1 Eth on the puzzle-piece (which is double the amount he picked it up for), but rejected.

I’m super eager to see, which journey all the puzzle pieces will take and where they will end up.

Puzzle8 // The Web

This is the 8th part of my blog-series about the different puzzle-pieces of my latest /asyncart work called „Mind Puzzle„.

The Web

An endlessly interwoven structure reminiscent of a spider’s web. There is a head wearing a hat caught in the middle.

From the pieces description

I’m an early adaptor and so I was already dialing up mailboxes with my C64 and my Ascom acoustic coupler in the pre-internet days. Even when I started studying computer science in 1988, the internet was still in its infancy. It should take another 10 years and some massive marketing by AOL, until it was adopted by the masses.

But I knew from the very beginning, that it would be a revolution for humanity like the invention of cars, telephony and television had been before. But I had some friends, that were rather sceptical about the new technology. Their biggest fear was to loose real-life relationships while more and more people started to connect virtually.

The Leg

On the left side you can see a long leg stretched out of the structure on which a small figure is standing.

While some people had the fear to get caught in the web (the hat stands for being conservative and looking out for squalls), others (like me) saw it as a huge leap for mankind to jump out of their limited world-view and connect with likeminded people around the world.

EL

At the height of the foot you can see an „el“ that could stand for both El Niño (unusual ocean currents) and El Dorado (a mythical city of gold).

El Niño (Spanish for „the boy, the child“, here: „the Christ child“) is the name given to the occurrence of unusual, non-cyclical, altered ocean currents in the oceanographic-meteorological system (El Niño-Southern Oscillation, ENSO) of the equatorial Pacific. […] The name is derived from the time of occurrence, namely at Christmas time. It originates from Peruvian fishermen, who feel the effect economically due to the absence of shoals of fish.

Source

El Dorado is also sometimes used as a metaphor to represent an ultimate prize or „Holy Grail“ that one might spend one’s life seeking. It could represent true love, heaven, happiness, or success.

Source

The Figures

The figure standing on the leg looks like a dancing girl for me, that raises her arms because she feels free and can start to express herself in every possible way.

It is facing another figure that looks as if it is being held by paper clips.

The other figure is held by paper clips, which stand for the old analog world. Still uncertain but amazed, she looks at the incredible new possibilities.

The puzzle piece has already found a collector, but you can always make the current owner an offer here.

Puzzle9 // Origin and Destination

It’s time to finish this series of background infos about my „Mind Puzzle“ while it has been resold on the secondary market for 5 Eth already (after the initial sale of 3 Eth). I was happy to get to know the new collector a bit and I’ve been absolutely blown away by his enthusiasm regarding my art. I would really like to thank him for his appreciation! But now lets finish this series!

Origin

The head from which the whole puzzle seems to have emerged. It looks like the whole structure is resting on it.

I really see this face, which is located at the bottom center of the artwork, as a self-portrait. The whole „Mind Puzzle“ seems to evolve from that.

Right next to it a dog or a cat with a long tail that turns around.

While the head usually stands for cognitive thinking, animals represent more like the natural aspect of subconsciousness and feelings. This might be a hint, that not everything in the „Mind Puzzle“ actually comes from the mind. It’s more holistic and also includes feelings and dreams, I can express while creating art.

Destination

To the right of the head there is a one-eyed figure with its arms spread out. The jacket is printed with crosses, which both symbolize the end and can be interpreted as a series of plus signs.

I interpret this figure as my future self, that spreads his arms to welcome me. The cross can be a symbol for death as well as sign of salvation. It usually expresses the meeting point of different elements or spirits (like heaven-earth). Also as a plus symbol it has the meaning of adding something to your life by all the experiences you make.

There is a small path coming from the face’s eye and leading to this figure. You can also see some sort of a hill and the basic structure of a house to the left and some kind of jungle to the right.

It runs into a kind of jungle, thus completing the circle of the puzzle that began with a plant.

I like the idea, that we’re all running in circles or spirals, that we go back to the place, where we’ve come from (just with a different consciousness). Also some people believe in the idea of a paradise, which is described as a peaceful garden, while others believe humanity evolved from apes once living in the jungle.

Somebody’s watching

Above it a kind of eye is hovering that can stand for both surveillance and enlightenment.

The watching eye is usually a symbol for enlightenment. But in the context of the Illuminati it’s a symbol of conspiracy and only a few insiders, who are controlling the masses. For some people the idea of an all-seeing god seems also be more attractive, than the increasing surveillance in a world dominated by economic interests.

However there might be somebody, who’s watching – at least you’re able to watch yourself being mirrored in this ever changing „Mind Puzzle“.

Thank you!

It has been a great pleasure to share the details of my artwork in this little series. Thanks a lot for reading this far and for your interest in my art!

See you around,
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