Martin Lukas Ostachowski / MLO.art

"Remember, remember, the 5th of November." For hundreds of years, fires have burned as effigies to commemorate the failed Gunpowder Plot, an attempt to overturn the British government by blowing up parliament. Its central figure Guy Hawkes, with his flamboyant beard, became the name bearer of the masks, which children have worn in his image on Bonfire Night since the Victorian era or even earlier. Over the last decades, these masks have become a symbol of anonymous protest against organizations and governments. Not surprisingly, they also found popularity in the Blockchain movement. 

However, Blockchain's encryption algorithms do not equate to anonymity. Since its inception, a permanent record shows every transaction; after all, the Blockchain is a public ledger. Every transaction increases traceability. Complex, sophisticated, and costly processes are required to remain anonymous.

The animated photo-collage Dreamy Misconceptions of Anonymity raises attention that governments worldwide realized the potential of cryptocurrency gains and quickly implemented fast adapting taxation rules. The artwork warns that everyone is most likely subject to their government's taxes each time a cryptocurrency is converted or an NFT traded. Thousands of programmers and consultants work on behalf of governments and institutions to dissolve this seemingly encrypted mask. 

Animated photo collage based on photos taken on passenger flights
2500 × 2500 px, 0:15, MP4

Dreamy Misconceptions of Anonymity

Part of the Cloud Collages series, CW29/25 reflects a practice of bi-weekly production. By weaving together photography, geometric structures, and algorithmic elements, the work serves as a site to examine concepts and refine generative scripts.

Artwork Description:
https://mlo.art/artwork/cloud-collage-cw29-25/

First posted July 13th, 2025:
https://mlo.art/art-journal/new-cloud-collage/

mlo.art

Cloud Collage CW29/25

This artwork is part of the 'Known, Uncertain, Unknown: My Past, Present, and Future' triptych, a visual reflection on my first blockchain-related artwork and the development of my artistic practice over the past six years of creating crypto art.

The animations draw upon transtemporal theory, in which the states of the past, present, and future are not necessarily mutually exclusive but continually influence each other. They are connected by my overarching theme of using clouds as a symbol for blockchain technology.

"Known Past" explores my early years as a painter and interdisciplinary artist, engaging predominantly in physical practices such as weaving and sculpting.

"Uncertain Present" represents my increased use of digital practices and new media while further developing my physical series through a combination of industrial and craft processes such as laser-cutting, 3D printing, and weaving.

"Unknown Future" suggests my further growth into generative concepts, installations, and attempts to blend the physical and digital realms, among others, through stamped and painted visualizations and electronics.

While the triptych was tokenized based on the artist's contract, 10% of the primary sale will be shared with the Morrow Collective upon purchase.

Additionally, please note that along with these three unique artworks, there is an editioned collage comprising all three pieces exclusively reserved for the participating artists, research advisors, and holders of my generative Noctilucent Mementi series. These individuals continue to shape my past, present, and future.

Released for the {R(Evolutionaries);generations} group exhibition at Art Dubai 2024 with Morrow Collective.

Known, Uncertain, Unknown: My Past, Present, and FUTURE

Echo chambers of cognitive dissonance are often mistaken for tribes in the crypto space. Countless crypto and NFT projects maintain conspicuous positive communities while exploiting a desire to belong in the virtual realm. They encourage their members with lukewarm acronyms and share seemingly exclusive alpha. However, beware of the Discord servers that call out any critical questions by trolling and fiercely banning other opinions. Unregulated spaces, legal grey zones, and perceived pseudo-anonymity have turned many venture capitalists, celebrities, and influencers into opportunists. Good vibes have only served to support uncompromising agendas, falsely dispel people's doubts, and, more often than not, pull scams. / Animation of imagined AI-generated cloudscapes / 3,840 × 2,160 px, MP4, 0:12, sound / MLO.art /


Echo Chamber of Cognitive Dissonance

Animation of individual Python-processed video frames based on drawn shapes and recorded time-lapses.

PAC AN3Y Shape Variant visualizes the evolving structure of the Bitcoin network through layered geometry. Organized into three vertical columns, larger squares overlap smaller ones to represent annual snapshots of active nodes from 2023 to 2025. A cloud timelapse runs across the composition, underscoring the accelerating pace of technological change in the crypto space, faster than most can follow.

https://mlo.art/artwork/pac-an3y-shape-variant/

Plotting Against Centralization is the overarching series, which traces the rise of Bitcoin across the globe. Set against hostile financial, regulatory, and political forces, these algorithmic visualizations turn precise data into quiet acts of defiance — data art hidden in plain sight.

https://mlo.art/news/blog-posts/plotting-against-centralization-series/

This work was part of “Signs and other technologies,” a showcase by zeroone at Art OnO in Seoul, South Korea in April 2025. Bringing together artists who move between the past and future, the physical and digital, the exhibition reflects on how technology expands creative expression and redefines technique.

https://mlo.art/news/exhibitions-events/art-ono-fair-seoul-with-zeroone/

PAC AN3Y  Shape Variant

Decentralized blockchains offer transparency into all digital wallet assets and their transactions since they are captured in transaction blocks. Not only are these permanent digital traces examined by (tax) authorities, but they also reveal unconscious aspects of the owner’s personality and behaviour.

The price is based on June 3rd, 2021, the day the European Commission proposed a framework for digital identity wallets for Europeans (6/3/2021).

The Cloud Wallet series was exhibited in collaboration with LaCollection and OBJKT during the Digital Art Fair Miami 2024. This series is also part of the crypto art group show “In-Valuable: The Short History of Crypto Art” curated by Marlène Corbun and Fanny Lakoubay. It contributes to a broader exploration of “Art & Currency” on the LaCollection platform.

The recent cryptocurrency boom has provided a conceptual foundation for contemporary artists to interrogate and reveal the intricate systems of power underpinning money while simultaneously using blockchain technology as a creative medium. Collectively, the exhibited works challenge the complex and often paradoxical relationship between art and currency.

mlo.art

Cloud Wallets: Casting Shadows

Constructed Emptiness explores the misconception that blockchain-backed digital assets could ever leave the blockchain. Digital wallets consequently remain empty and cannot carry any digital assets; hence they can be restored with their seed phrases.

The price is based on June 3rd, 2021, the day the European Commission proposed a framework for digital identity wallets for Europeans (6/3/2021).

The Cloud Wallet series was exhibited in collaboration with LaCollection and OBJKT during the Digital Art Fair Miami 2024. This series is also part of the crypto art group show “In-Valuable: The Short History of Crypto Art” curated by Marlène Corbun and Fanny Lakoubay. It contributes to a broader exploration of “Art & Currency” on the LaCollection platform.

The recent cryptocurrency boom has provided a conceptual foundation for contemporary artists to interrogate and reveal the intricate systems of power underpinning money while simultaneously using blockchain technology as a creative medium. Collectively, the exhibited works challenge the complex and often paradoxical relationship between art and currency.

mlo.art

Cloud Wallets: Constructed Emptiness

This piece explores the value of digital assets and questions whether this value persists once its environment ceases to exist. The blockchain ecosystem can be seen as a network of hope. When people believe in the system, they maintain the blockchain. If they lose their trust, they will start to unplug their computers and to challenge the newly defined assets and values. 

This video is an animation and visual continuation of my Cloud Seed Phrase Visualization project (https://ostachowski.com/cloud-seed-phrase-words-visualization/). It is the Augmented Reality layer of a limited edition print run of five (24"x 36" in.). The ellipses represent the visualized seed phrase words of the BIP39 (Bitcoin Improvement Protocol), which is the base of many digital wallets.

Ephemeral Thoughts on Digital Wallets

The spirit of Berehynia, a monument and symbol of Ukrainian independence, stands firm. Berehynia is a female spirit in Slavic mythology known as the hearth mother and protectress of the home. In the late 20th century, Ukrainian romantic nationalism centred around matriarchal myths. 

100% of the auction proceeds will be donated to the Ukraine Emergency program of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency 

Animation of individual Python-processed images based on three emojis and their variants across different devices
2,000 x 2,000 px, 0:01, GIF

The Spirit of Berehynia

SuperRare

Artist: MLO.art Martin Lukas Ostachowski

Async Art

The hashtag “Lambo” in the context of cryptocurrency is often used humorously or ironically to refer to the idea of making substantial profits from investing in cryptocurrencies, later, NFTs, and subsequently being able to afford a Lamborghini sports car. The term gained popularity during the cryptocurrency boom and bull markets when many individuals experienced significant financial gains from their initial investments in Bitcoin.

The concept of buying a Lamborghini as a symbol of success became associated with the idea that cryptocurrency investments could lead to substantial wealth within a relatively short period of time. Early adopters seeing their Bitcoin values dramatically appreciating fueled this concept. As a result, buying a Lamborghini with cryptocurrency gains became a pop and meme culture within the cryptocurrency community.

Using the hashtag “Lambo” on social media platforms or online forums often indicates a playful reference to the hope or expectation of achieving substantial profits from crypto and NFTs. The origins of the phrase remain mysterious. Some attribute the Reddit and Bitcoin forum memes to stories around teenagers cashing out crypto and unintentionally attracting the attention of the police and tax authorities. In contrast, others see their origin in traders and technologists converting minuscule investments into Italian racecars.

The hashtag “Lambo” serves as a reminder of the potential rewards and the speculative nature of investing in this space. While it may attract many people into the crypto space, the dream of the Lambo will dissolve, for the vast majority, like a cloud.

Hashtag Lambo is a collaborative artwork between artist Martin Lukas Ostachowski and the NewHere community. Thirty-five community members joined the collaboration and submitted cloud images which the artist manually arranged into a collage. The artwork was created with the submissions of:

@coleco, @0xprmn, @aaronblaisdell, rumdoodle, @benpenguin_ ,NFTSALE, @bujoe85, @chillzzzone, @cryptopunkart, @dan_sickles, David J Stiles, echodust, @fraddison, @gazzinho, @HRoodman, J5eth.eth, @jay_wooow, @songadaymann, @kcaryths, @lexokinetic, @Marnxie, NFT-Mint-As, Michael Sanabria, @modnarwolf, begood.eth, @qa_corey, Roger Bos, @RoninToday, @SepterraNFT, @shibboleth88, @thecryptk33per, @theog__, @TreeWaterfall, @un1c8t0r, @xavieriturralde

Hashtag Lambo #8/42

The hashtag "Lambo" serves as a reminder of the potential rewards and the speculative nature of investing in this space. While it may attract many people into the crypto space, the dream of the Lambo will dissolve, for the vast majority, like a cloud.

Hashtag Lambo is a collaborative artwork between artist Martin Lukas Ostachowski and the NewHere community. Thirty-five community members joined the collaboration and submitted cloud images which the artist manually arranged into a collage.

Hashtag Lambo #28/42

MLO.art & NewHere

Noctilucent Mementi is a generative chronicle that encapsulates 5 years of Martin Lukas Ostachowski's travels and work with clouds in cryptoart. Each artwork is a location-specific memento, forming a visual timeline of the artist's development, milestones and travels between 2018 and 2023, spanning 4 continents and 11 countries.  The term 'noctilucent', means 'luminous in the dark' and references high, invisible clouds. 'Mementi' represents the artist's curated visual memories. In MLO's words, "Noctilucent clouds are invisible memories, glowing when revisited." For MLO, clouds serve as a medium for speaking about the way that we transform and preserve intangible presences, both through personal memory and through digital wallets. In this, his first serial collection, MLO celebrates 5 years of artistic evolution since the creation of his first cloud artwork in September 2018.

Over the last 5 years, MLO has come to be known as "the cloud artist." He began tokenizing his art in June 2018, and has since become a formative figure in the cryptoart movement, making fundamental contributions to the cultural understanding of the medium. His early works use geometric minimalism and artistic data visualization to investigate and educate about the potential meanings of blockchains and tokens. With the piece "Cloud Seed Phrase Visualization" (September 2018), he arrived at a mode of translating data into metaphor that has since become the spine of his practice. In his words, "I find the analogy to clouds particularly intriguing, as we store only the rights to assets in our digital wallets while the actual digital assets remain permanently on the blockchain; the digital assets therefore remain intangible much like clouds in the sky." 

Clouds have personal weight for MLO as someone whose life has been defined by movement and transition. Born in Poland, raised in Germany, emigrated to Canada, and traveling constantly, he has lived in more than 33 different places through the years. For him, clouds are both an emblem of transience and a constant companion. In MLO's art, the distributed nodes that constitute a blockchain become a symbol of hope. This living cloud maintained by shared belief harbors the possibility of continuity for an individual identity through the fragile impermanence of physical locations. 

An illustrated break-down of the series' influences, underlying references and numerology can be found [here.](https://mlo.art/news/blog-posts/new-collection-noctilucent-mementi/)

A Sovrn Curated release.

Noctilucent Memento #0

Noctilucent Mementi is a generative chronicle that encapsulates 5 years of Martin Lukas Ostachowski's travels and work with clouds in crypto art. Each artwork is a location-specific memento, forming a visual timeline of the artist's development, milestones and travels between 2018 and 2023, spanning 4 continents and 11 countries.  The term 'noctilucent', means 'luminous in the dark' and references high, invisible clouds. 'Mementi' represents the artist's curated visual memories. In MLO's words, "Noctilucent clouds are invisible memories, glowing when revisited." For MLO, clouds serve as a medium for speaking about the way that we transform and preserve intangible presences, both through personal memory and through digital wallets. In this, his first serial collection, MLO celebrates 5 years of artistic evolution since the creation of his first cloud artwork in September 2018.

An illustrated breakdown of the series: https://mlo.art/news/blog-posts/new-collection-noctilucent-mementi/.

Noctilucent Memento #123

Noctilucent Mementi by MLO.art

In this solo show, curated by Marlene Corbun and presented by objkt x laCollection, in the context of Art Basel Miami, Martin Lukas Ostachowski presents his own critical vision of art and currency and its meaning for our society in the digital age.

Considering the demand for interoperability across the metaverse and decentralized applications, digital wallets have evolved towards digital identities in the web3 environment. In particular, the permanence aspect of the blockchain and digital wallets promotes conceptual ideas of futurism and posthumanism.

The price is based on June 3rd, 2021, the day the European Commission proposed a framework for digital identity wallets for Europeans (6/3/2021).

The Cloud Wallet series was exhibited in collaboration with LaCollection and OBJKT during the Digital Art Fair Miami 2024. This series is also part of the crypto art group show “In-Valuable: The Short History of Crypto Art” curated by Marlène Corbun and Fanny Lakoubay. It contributes to a broader exploration of “Art & Currency” on the LaCollection platform.

The recent cryptocurrency boom has provided a conceptual foundation for contemporary artists to interrogate and reveal the intricate systems of power underpinning money while simultaneously using blockchain technology as a creative medium. Collectively, the exhibited works challenge the complex and often paradoxical relationship between art and currency.

mlo.art

Cloud Wallets: Ascension

Solo show - Martin Lukas Ostachowski

CADAF x IO Collection: [Upgrade Ability](https://infiniteobjects.com/products/cadaf-x-io-collection-martin-lukas-ostachowski) explores the overlooked threat of the ability to upgrade smart contracts. Apart from the risk of a flawed upgrade, an overwhelming number of smart contracts can be upgraded by a single externally-owned wallet address. This precarious centralization is one of hackers' most common attack vectors — a metaphorical idiom that eludes everyone’s concern.

[This collection](https://infiniteobjects.com/collections/cadaf-and-infinite-objects-intimate-visions) brings together a leading group of artists who create a distinct visual language and representations of their surrounding space. Together, these artworks generate a universe of its own, from impossible architecture, visions of the sky, poetic notions, dreamlike landscapes and intimate objects. This collection invites viewers to experience and explore a modular universe inspired by art and technology. 

CADAF and Infinite Objects are proud to bring this special collection to life. All artworks will be available as an edition of 22, with physical and digital presence (Infinite Object Display + NFT).

Upgrade Ability #18/22

[CADAF x IO Collection](https://infiniteobjects.com/collections/cadaf-and-infinite-objects-intimate-visions): Upgrade Ability explores the overlooked threat of the ability to upgrade smart contracts. Apart from the risk of a flawed upgrade, an overwhelming number of smart contracts can be upgraded by a single externally-owned wallet address. This precarious centralization is one of hackers' most common attack vectors — a metaphorical idiom that eludes everyone’s concern.

Upgrade Ability #5/22

CADAF x IO: Martin Lukas Ostachowski

Despite a rich history of recurring patterns since the tulipmania in the 17th century, where the prices of flowers were once higher than annual incomes, market cycles continue generating market bubbles. The excitement over potential short-term gains and overwhelmingly inconsistent market data wrongly encourages people to partake in behaviours that clash with their beliefs. This repeatedly causes people to follow the crowd despite their better judgement.

In the fast-paced crypto world, the frequency of bubbles appears to match the environment accordingly. Within a few years, we saw ICOs, DeFi and NFTs. The next bubble might be just around the corner. After all, history repeats itself. Hopes and values keep spiralling high, where they dissolve like clouds.

Animation of individual Python-processed video frames based on scanned rubber-stamps sets and recorded time-lapses
1,920 x 960 px, 1:00, MP4
2022

History Repeats Itself

Network of Hope

Known, Uncertain, Unknown: My PAST, Present, and Future

Martin Lukas Ostachowski

The series Nubes In Tempore visualizes transience: clouds and time unfold through diverse tiles, from marks and words to symbols and bills, reflecting the impermanent layers of our time.

Nubes In Tempore

Part of the Cloud Collages series, CW30/25 reflects a practice of bi-weekly production. By weaving together photography, geometric structures, and algorithmic elements, the work serves as a site to examine concepts and refine generative scripts.

Artwork Description:
https://mlo.art/artwork/cloud-collage-cw30-25/

First posted July 24th, 2025:
https://mlo.art/art-journal/new-geometric-cloud-collage/

mlo.art

Cloud Collage CW30/25

I regularly create cloud collages, about every other week, combining photos, geometry, and algorithmic elements. It’s my process to validate ideas and evolve fresh generative scripts step by step.

Cloud Collages

A brief glance enough to grant a moment of solace, a beautiful dance as they drift across the horizon. 

Clouds awaken many emotions within people. Some clouds make us happy, some of them make us sad. Some you just want to lay in it and dream all day. They are gentle and free spirits, deeply attuned to their inner emotions. They have the ability to encourage our imaginations, a creation we can impart our own visions onto.

"Clouds of the Metaverse" reflects the emotions and the style of five different artists around the world. 

3,300 x 1,100 px / 300 DPI / JPG

Martin Lukas Ostachowski / MLO.art (MLOdotArt)

Martin Lukas Ostachowski / MLO.art (MLOdotArt)

Featured (0)

All Works (0)