'The Atlas' is a 1 of 1 artwork inscribed on Bitcoin ordinals from the project 'The Wild Within', a series that brings new life into abandoned buildings from a bygone era.
The artwork transitions between day and night modes at 7 am and 7 pm CEST, synchronized with the Bitcoin clock, reflecting the time zone of the abandoned building's location in Northern Italy.
'The Atlas' is inscribed on a satoshi mined on March 24, 2021. This date marks the same day the first artwork from 'The Wild Within' was minted on Ethereum.
Based on a real-world physical space, a rebirth into the digital realm is created by combining photography with three-dimensional techniques.
The architecture depicted is the interior of an ornate abandoned villa, hidden in an overgrown plot of land near the coast of Genoa, Italy.
The artists Ryan Koopmans & Alice Wexell have visited different locations around the world over the past decade, exploring architectural ruins and photographing structures that have undergone dramatic transition.
Upon returning, they introduce digital vegetation, modify the structure and lighting, and alter the scenes with the intention of reviving the empty spaces, essentially bringing life back into the rooms.
The results are a surreal collision between the past and future, natural and manmade, physical and digital, and the real and imaginary.
The objective of this artwork is to depict a surreal representation of the cyclical essence of time. It delves into the theme of architectural history and its intricate connection with the natural world. Simultaneously, the intention is to permanently preserve the imagery on the blockchain.
Many of the buildings depicted in 'The Wild Within' have been demolished in recent years, further emphasizing the theme of time passing in the cycle of growth and decay.