#001: Scriptural Origins
Scriptural Origins
Jing Davison (毕婧)
October, 2024
42 x 52 cm
Chinese calligraphy ink (墨汁) and acrylic paint on mulberry bark paper (桑皮纸); mounted on canvas with jade stone seal
The Work
Scriptural Origins encapsulates the historic transformation of monetary media from paper based on trust in a centralized authority, to a direct, digital representation of value — Bitcoin: the asset, network, and protocol.
The History
The Jiaozi ("交子") was a form of promissory note that appeared in the year 1023 in Chengdu, Sichuan, China. It is regarded by numismatists as the first paper money in history.
The use of paper as a monetary medium was a transformative technological development in the history of money, and forms the basis of today's monetary system.
The Medium
Mulberry paper is a form of handmade paper made from the mulberry tree. It has long fibers which give the paper a distintive, textured finish and threaded, string-like edges.
The Symbols
The script is the central metaphor of the work, serving as the origin and unifying element of both paper and digital monetary media.
Chinese calligraphic script on the paper note contains instructions on how and where the bill can be spent, along with its value and origin.
Bitcoin script, opcodes used to codify the decentralized control of Bitcoin, are superimposed atop the ancient script, connecting the parallel between the digital and physical worlds of money.
From this connection the work dervives its name, Scriptural Origins.
The illustrated portion depicts merchants carrying Bitcoin, alongside orange pills, representing the transmission of the message to the world.
The Artist
Jing was born and raised in Chengdu, China, the locale where the first paper money was invented and ciruclated. After studying art at Sichuan University, she immigrated to the United States in her twenties. She has lived in New York, San Francisco, and North Carolina.
The Seal
The art is signed with a one-of-a-kind jade stone seal. The stone was hand-carved by an anonymous local artist in Sichuan province, China over twenty years ago. The seal reads "毕婧", the name of the artist expressed in ancient Chinese script.
The Asking Price
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