Symbolism In The Hodler
I’ve begun creating NFTs from select paintings in my 2018 exhibition Crypto Disruption, starting with The Hodler. Below, I share insights into my creative process, narrative, and symbolism in this work.
Symbolism in Art
Symbolism is a powerful tool in painting, allowing for multiple interpretations. A person familiar with cryptocurrency will see The Hodler differently from someone unfamiliar with blockchain or crypto investment. I’ve long enjoyed enhancing my work through augmented reality (AR) and video, and NFTs allow me to deepen narratives further, layering animation and symbolism to expand meaning.
The Hodler: A Three-Part Artistic Experience
The Hodler consists of three distinct creative components, each contributing to the artwork’s symbolism:
The NFT Animation – The final layer, turning the piece into a gesamtkunstwerk—a total work of art—where symbolism and meaning are further expanded through motion and interactivity.
The Painting – A lone figure sits on a bench near a lake, painted predominantly in blue and gold. The viewer may wonder: Who is he? What is he thinking? The title itself suggests his role to those familiar with crypto culture.
The AR Video – A visual extension of the painting, reinforcing the theme of unyielding patience and focus amid chaos and volatility.
Note: I’ve since replaced the original AR video with the NFT animation as the AR tech feature (2021)
The NFT Animation & Its Symbolism
The scene unfolds across the passage of time. It’s autumn, with fallen leaves and a chill in the air. A lone figure sits on a bench, staring across the lake. The wind ripples the water, the tree sways, and koi fish leap—briefly catching the man’s attention.
As the sun sets, shadows stretch across the land. Night falls, stars emerge, and a rocket launches beyond the mountains. The man watches as it disappears into the sky. He remains still. The cycle repeats: another fish jumps, dawn arrives, and the landscape is bathed once more in gold and blue.
One subtle, almost hidden detail is the Bitcoin shape embedded in the tree, its arc aligning with the sun’s daily path—even passing through the man himself. He is one with the cycle. He waits. Hodl.
View The Hodler NFT on OpenSea.
Symbolism & Meaning
- Colours – Blue & Gold
- Blue: Stability, wisdom, confidence, and tranquillity. Historically, ultramarine blue was more valuable than gold.
- Gold: Success, achievement, and wealth, symbolizing prosperity and abundance.
- Day & Night → The passage of time, wisdom, and experience.
- Koi Fish → Fortune, resilience, and perseverance in adversity.
- Stars → Guidance, enlightenment, and ambitious goals.
- Tree → Strength, growth, and knowledge gained over a lifetime.
- Wind → Change—both disruptive and transformative.
- Water → Flow, adaptability, power, and purification.
- Rocket → The dream of ascension, to the moon!