As we enter the cusp of what has become one of the most important rights cases in history, we pay our tributes to Julian Assange and his family, who have endured violations against their free speech and rights for over a decade.
As you may already know, Julian’s final hearing against extradition is taking place this week (February 20th – 21st 2024). A man locked up indefinitely for exercising one of the most fundamental of all human rights, free speech.
Many people around the world have come out to show tremendous amounts of support for the WikiLeaks founder over the years and being so close to the ethos of the cypherpunk movement the 2140 movement is no exception.
We caught up with activist, artist, musician and 2140 community supporter MadMunkey, who has created several Assange-inspired artworks using his skill with woodworking to create vivid and memorable pieces highlighting Julian’s case and similar human rights causes. One of which is entitled ‘Manifesto2140 v.3 “FreeAssangeNOW’.
We caught up with the elusive artist himself to ask him some questions about his work, beliefs and inspirations. Enjoy!
What inspired you to create this wooden artwork of Julian Assange? How did you first become interested in his story?
MM: I’ve followed Julian Assange’s story for a few years especially when I got to the point that there is something wrong with the financial and political aspects of our life. I wanted to capture his determination through this wooden sculpture. His quotes are iconic and always will be. People who understand, know that Julian’s case is the most important thing about freedom, more than the Covid bs was. If his appeal is rejected, we will be living in a completely different world.
Tell me about the process of designing and creating this sculpture. What materials did you use and what artistic techniques?
MM: I worked mainly with different types of wood, for Julian I used full live edge, proper quality Oak wood and then I sliced it and glued it all together again. I used photographs of Assange as a reference and the simple idea was to put his quotes on each slice. That was the beginning then I was playing around with my laser burner, designing and mapping all ideas. It was a funny time because the temperature in the workshop was around -3/-10 ‘C by night, so yeah…
How long did it take you to complete this piece? What were some of the challenges you faced bringing this vision to life?
MM: Hard to say, the prep of graphs, and making test burns also took a lot of time. From the idea…2 months. If I have to compress this time, is like 3-4 weeks. The most challenging part was getting mapping of single prints in the whole concept, just to catch the idea of the final, especially during freezing nights.
What message or themes were you hoping to convey through this artwork about Julian Assange and his significance?
MM: This piece is my tribute to Assange’s courage and contribution to transparency and government accountability. I hope it reflects the sacrifices he made for his principles. His epic quotes deserve proper material, that’s why the best quality Polish Hard Oak was the choice for it, the message is there in Julian’s sentences. If you read them there is nothing to add. And if you still do not question authoritarianism or governments. I think you are a part of the problem in our world.
Julian Assange was one of the pioneers of the cypherpunk movement. How much did his role in history influence this piece?
MM: Assange’s central role in the cypherpunk movement was definitively an influence on why I chose him as a subject. I wanted to honour his vision for empowering individuals through technology. The Cypherpunk Manifesto is essential to the privacy aspect and is the exact point in Julian’s story of freedom of speech. Technology progress is so fast now. We can use it in good and bad ways, we all see where it is going. For me, the biggest enemy is the Gov, and the technology here is to protect us against it. If we lose this fight, our world will become Orwellian.
Some view Julian Assange as a controversial figure. Did you have any concerns about how this artwork might be received by the public?
MM: I know Assange is a polarizing figure, but I leave it to viewers to interpret the work based on their perspectives. My goal was to capture his humanity and the word that he spread. The funny thing is that after many conversations about him, I release that most of the people trying argue against him are somewhat programmed, I mean … ” Yeh but it was a national secret blah blah blah”….f**k it that was the TRUTH! Until we get it, everything in this world will be like this…like EVERYTHING!
With Anon from the 2140 crew, we discussed cypherpunk ethos many times. Without any doubt, Assange was the first choice, especially in those times. Julian is one out of many, but when you look around, all bullshit with Yemen, Afghanistan or Iraq war and then you look at the Middle East again. You have to ask yourself WTF? I hope these pieces with remind or somehow inspire the public to ask questions to themselves about it. By creating works about historic figures like Assange, I hope to encourage critical thinking about their legacy.
Do you consider yourself a political artist? If so, how does your worldview inform your work?
MM: Political artist…aah, No, but the concept of #Manisfesto2140, which is Julian’s piece as part of the collection, is kind of my political commentary regarding the situation.
My worldview favours government transparency, individual privacy, and the need for people to hold institutions accountable. It is on those views I believe Assange was right to the point.
How did you first become interested in cypherpunk, Encryption obviously plays a major role in the cypherpunk ethos. What are your thoughts on the debate around privacy versus security in the digital age?
MM: I’ve been fascinated with cryptography last few years. The cypherpunk’s ethos of using technology for social change resonates with me because I believe that without privacy there is no freedom of speech and generally no freedom. When we build on lies like governments do, how we can live fairly? I think we need checks and balances. Privacy is crucial but so is lawful access when lives are at risk. It’s a nuanced issue with valid viewpoints on both sides.
What advice would you give to any aspiring artists out there?
MM: My advice is to never stop being curious. Draw inspiration from everything around you and don’t be afraid to fail – some of my best work came from mistakes. There are so many ways to express yourself through “art”, physical or digital. Anyone can find a way to say something, to inspire others. To make a change by practising it.
Where do you hope to take your art career in the future? Do you have any dream projects?
MM: I hope to complete more large-scale public artworks addressing social justice, freedom or financial issues. In our 2140 collective, we already have many lovely ideas. That’s why we are building now, connecting with open-minded people to be prepared for bigger future collaborations by mixing ideas, techniques, and vibes to spread the message to the masses. I generally hope that those pieces will inspire some people to get on the proper mindset way.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about this work, your artistic vision, or the intersection of art and activism?
MM: I believe art has a unique power to touch our common humanity. If this piece makes more people see the personal cost of Julian Assange’s convictions, then I’ve accomplished my goal as a creator of it. Let’s move forward and promote the cypherpunk movement. We are very early…
Thanks for speaking with us today ser, we appreciate you and your work!
You can follow MadMunky on Twitter (X) and be sure to look out for the Manifesto2140 v.3 “FreeAssangeNOW” piece, which is on tour around various global 2140-related events, including Bitcoin Madeira (pictured below).
You can find out more about Julian’s case here and show your support in the smallest gesture by following Julian’s wife Stella Assange and sharing this article with the #FreeAssangeNOW hashtag.
THIS ARTWORK WILL BE PRESENTED AT THE EVENT, VISIT THE ART GALLERY IN MADIERA, CURATED BY @FractalEncrypt #BITCOIN #2140ART #FreeAssangeNOW #2140movement https://t.co/hl4r0lkGQB pic.twitter.com/YPqy4goLhY
— 🌋WE_ARE_2140🌋 (@WE_ARE_2140) February 3, 2024
