20 Minuti Lugano

The 📰 🗞️ 20 Minutes newspaper wrote a great article regarding Bitcoin, Culture, Art & Fashion.

Translation to English:

Lugano's Plan ₿
"I'm thinking of moving to Lugano: a cultural revolution has begun here."

Interview with Zurich-based artist and designer Alejandro Del Conde, who will exhibit his creations at Plan ₿ Forum. "This is a leading city, and being first is never easy."
Art exhibitions, parades, a film festival that will feature dozens of engaging and educational short films. Plus various tributes to the cyberpunk world, a fantastic drone show, a bazaar dedicated to the planet Bitcoin. An interweaving, in short, of culture, music and entertainment that will give rise to a very rich bill of events. Yes, because the Plan ₿ Forum is not or will be only the most important stage in Europe of the articulated panorama revolving around Bitcoin, Blockchain and P2P technologies.

It is, above all, an event where the concept of freedom - financial, of speech, of expression (including artistic) - has found a "home" in which women and men, characterized and united by innovative thinking, can launch and share new visions and unprecedented perspectives. Anticipation for the event, which will be held in Lugano next Friday, Oct. 20 and Saturday, Oct. 21, grows in proportion to the approach of a two-day event that will bring many of the world's most brilliant and visionary minds to the shores of the Ceresio.

In this scenario, among the absolute protagonists will be Alejandro Del Conde from Zurich: a multifaceted digital artist, designer and authentic symbol of endurance, creativity and passion. In his concepts, artistic expression and technology come together in a multidimensional blend that looks at art as a vehicle for rebellion and awareness. Not surprisingly, Del Conde promotes the adoption of Bitcoin as a symbol of freedom and value. Not only that, because his approach to blockchain goes beyond the boundaries of digital currency. In fact, the Swiss artist sees in this technology a means to decentralize power at the expense of intermediary entities, thus creating a fairer and more transparent financial system.

We therefore interviewed him, not least because, at the Plan ₿ Forum, he will not only present some of his works, but will also be the creator of the fashion show that will be staged during the event.

Alejandro, how did your artistic journey begin?
I have always been interested in all forms of art and collecting artwork. We can afford sincere art in this world-we don't need propaganda. Sincere art begins by exploring creativity, diversity of ideas and dissemination of truthful information. We can create beautiful films, amazing photographs, harmonious music, fabulous fashion, breathtaking artwork, stunning architecture and touching dances. We can focus on honest expressions that come from deep within each of us. Because that

is what the journey of art is all about: discovering what is inside you, the unknown, which you follow based on what you believe. And in that discovery is everything I struggled against within myself, something I had to let go of and share.

Bitcoin and blockchain-how do they connect with art in general and with your artistic work?
Bitcoin is an innovative technology but, from my point of view, it is also art, in cyberspace. When you read Satoshi Nakamoto's "White Paper" and understand it, in those pages you can read a beautiful poem by an anonymous artist that solves a huge problem in an elegant way. Bitcoin has opened wide a new perspective, opening our eyes to the scam of a debt-based economy that had been hidden from us and whose consequence is total disaster. This open source software protocol has given humanity a way to create a visionary solution: what the Internet has done for freedom of information since the 1990s, Bitcoin is now doing for money. An example of revolutionary technology? Euclid. We don't know much about him, but really, it doesn't even matter: what matters is that Euclidean geometry works. Science and mathematics encapsulate essential truths that stand on their own, regardless of their inventors and their motives. Here: Bitcoin is a system based on mathematical truths, and these mathematical truths stand on their own. Reading Bitcoin's source code is enough to understand it and prove its truthfulness, regardless of whether Satoshi Nakamoto was a man, a woman, a group of people, a government agency or aliens arrived from the future.

Can you give us a preview of the works you will be exhibiting in the Plan ₿ Forum Art Gallery?
All of my works that will be presented in the Art Gallery are pieces that, I hope, will enlighten people and stimulate their curiosity, questions, and desire to learn more. I am not married, have no children, and probably won't have any. But my artworks are my children, my legacy to this world. Each piece is different from the others, and all these pieces are linked by a thin thread, by a main theme: Bitcoin and the promotion of its adoption, precisely, through art.

How do you see the relationship between fashion and technology, especially in the context of events like the Plan ₿ Forum?
Events such as the Plan ₿ Forum in Lugano, Bitcoin conferences in the U.S., Amsterdam and other places are crucial for this movement to raise awareness, giving space to leaders, innovators, artists and other people united by the desire to share the truth. Regarding fashion and technology, today we are increasingly seeing a fusion of technology and fashion in ever new and compelling alchemy. We can now leverage technologies that can monitor health, track our location, or even project digital images onto fabrics.

And fashion brands are collaborating with technologists to create garments that are not only aesthetically appealing, but also integrate high-tech functionality at the same time. I'm thinking, for example, of clothes and accessories that can change color with the help of apps, fabrics that generate and store solar energy, shoes that can automatically adapt to the wearer's foot-all of these represent just the tip of the iceberg in which fashion and technology are integrated. And, in contexts such as the Plan ₿ Forum, this fusion could take on an even deeper meaning. Similarly, technology can be used to create immersive fashion experiences at such events, providing attendees with information and a unique sensory experience.
Moreover, digital currencies and blockchain ensure, to the fashion world, further potential: from product traceability - ensuring authenticity and combating counterfeiting - to the creation of digital marketplace platforms for emerging brands and designers. We are not dealing here with a passing trend. This is concrete evidence of how two worlds, only seemingly distant, can collaborate and integrate, creating new opportunities and experiences for consumers and professionals in both sectors.

Do you believe that digital currency culture is influencing contemporary art?
Yes, I do. If art highlights contemporary problems in society, and points out the difficulties, it will influence society accordingly. In the Middle Ages, Italy produced a renaissance in art; Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies are doing the same now, in the 21st century.

Is it worth studying to understand the Bitcoin world?
Absolutely, it is worth it. The more you read, do your research and educate yourself, the more you realize the debt-based scam of fiat currencies. The more you open your eyes to this reality, the more confidence you gain. And the more you gain confidence, the more you understand, the sooner you change, for the better....

Your presence, even in the role of the star designer of the fashion show, is highly anticipated...
I sincerely appreciate this opportunity that has been given to me, and I thank all the people involved in organizing this event. Basically, those attending the fashion show will see a different way of showing people what Bitcoin is. As a technology, but also as an embodiment of a cultural revolution. And not only in banking, but also many other levels of society. Fashion, after all, is an important tool to express thoughts, ideas, to manifest who you are and what is important to you-this is the goal of all my fashion pieces.

How did the city of Lugano and the atmosphere of the Plan ₿ Forum influence your creativity and works designed for the event?
The Plan ₿ Forum represents a beautiful and extraordinary opportunity for the city of Lugano to promote a revolutionary vision and stimulate society to rethink "true value." It has already been amply demonstrated how this technology can change the lives of citizens. But, as we know, a radically new idea is often greeted with skepticism, derision, or even hostility by those who have more to lose than to gain from its eventual success. I would like to propose a few examples that might better clarify the concept.

Think of the automobile: in the late 19th century, Karl Benz and others built the first cars. This was an invention that could threaten the stagecoach and railroad industry. These self-driving vehicles, or "road trains," could certainly frighten horses, injure people and damage roads. The cars, the railroad barons said, were simply too dangerous. And, to protect us, they used their power to pass a law, dated 1865 (the "Locomotive Act 1865, also known as the Red Flag Act"). This law required that every automobile, in England, obey a speed limit of 4 miles per hour and be operated by a crew of three people: a driver, an engineer and a flag man. This heroic flag man would walk in front of the car to warn citizens of impending danger. Railroad tycoons, legislators, and self-appointed gatekeepers used regulations to stifle that innovation.

Or, again, think of printing: for centuries, very few people had the ability to read, because books were copied by hand. Men in leadership positions, political and religious leaders wanted to maintain that status quo and responded to Johannes Gutenberg's invention with licensing laws (1439), publication bans and taxes. In some parts of the world, even, printing was considered a crime, an offense punishable by death. After all, that was the line of thinking circulating was this: they were just protecting us from "dangerous ideas."

Before the press, there were an estimated 30,000 books in all of Europe: 50 years later, there were 10 million. Thus, as Gutenberg's invention prospered, obscurantism weakened and progress marched on, because it could no longer be stopped. But "the man with the flag" never stopped trying: his masters unleashed him on each of these innovations because they threatened someone's profits or controlling power. I, as an artist, am very attracted to this beautiful city, like iron to a magnet. And, because of that, I am seriously thinking of moving to Lugano and helping in any way I can to promote the adoption of Bitcoin.

Lugano is becoming more and more central in embracing innovation: from your perspective, what is the reason for this?
It has never been easy to be the first. The city of Lugano and its city government, with Mayor Michele Foletti leading the way, along with other entities (governments around the world like El Salvador, companies like Michael Saylor's MicroStrategy, or early adopters like Mr. Hal Finney, Mr. Nick Szabo, Mr. Adam Back, Mr. Andreas Antonopoulos, Mr. Max Kaiser, Ms. Stacy Herbert, Mr. Paolo Ardoino, Mr. Jimmy Song, Mr. Samson Mow, and many others) are leaders.

What messages or emotions do you hope the public will get from your artwork and fashion show at the Plan ₿ Forum?
With my art (art and fashion pieces), which I dare to call a riot, I want to do something for the environment (eco-friendly and CO2-negative high-end artworks about Bitcoin) and to educate, change, raise awareness, encourage society to rethink true value and trust, to thus stimulate it to ask questions about our current monetary standard and debt-based financial system, which enslaves us in an invisible prison, in which our hard-earned currency is devalued, with all the quantitative easing strategies, loose monetary policies and government spending. My artworks are, therefore, no longer just works of art, but also weapons of an educational campaign against this theft of our true wealth (our time and freedom) through the devaluation of fiat currencies.

How do you think decentralization, a key theme in the Bitcoin world, can affect art and fashion?
Art is a genuine expression of ideas, manifested in a genuine way by an artist. As mentioned above, Satoshi Nakamoto's "White Paper" is art, and Bitcoin is the future. Bitcoin is open, free. Bitcoin is inclusive, boundless, transparent. It resists inflation, it is digital gold. It is open source, it is a better currency, it is energy in

cyberspace. Bitcoin is for everyone and it is the most solid and sound currency the world has ever seen. Bitcoin has had, is having, and will have an increasingly disruptive impact on the world and will influence it: not only the fields of art and fashion, but society in every expression.

Any advice for young artists seeking their way in an increasingly digital and interconnected world?
I encourage myself and every artist out there to keep making art, even if the world is against him/her, even if he/she is mocked, ridiculed or made fun of. Art is not what you see, but what you make others see and feel. Let others decide whether it is good or bad, your art, whether they love it or hate it. While they decide, you create even more art and express yourself authentically, bringing your ideas to the world, regardless of what the world thinks.