For any artist, the ultimate ambition is to create something that endures, a work that can outlast its creator. In the digital age, this quest for permanence has been a constant struggle against broken links, defunct platforms and mutable code. This search for an eternal canvas is what led one creator to the Bitcoin blockchain.
That creator is Jayson Winer, who, after a two-decade career on Wall Street as a hedge fund manager, embarked on an unconventional path into the world of Web3. After initial ventures in the 2021 crypto boom failed, he embraced the artistic persona of Mr. Black and found a new purpose.
“What began in darkness slowly turned to light,” Winer recalls, explaining how the setbacks inspired both the creation of his tequila brand, CasaMalka, which was co-founded with his ex-wife Malka, and his artistic focus on creating something with true staying power.
He found his medium in Bitcoin Ordinals, a technology that allows art to be inscribed directly onto the blockchain itself, making it a permanent and unchangeable part of the ledger. The result is “The Eyes Are Always Watching,” a collection of 21,000 pieces described as a raw and honest reflection of the world, decentralized and enduring just like Bitcoin (BTC).
In this interview, Mr. Black discusses the philosophy behind using Bitcoin Ordinals for immutable art and the deeply personal and spiritual themes embedded in The Eyes Are Always Watching.
Cointelegraph: Why do you believe Bitcoin’s Ordinals protocol, rather than Ethereum or other non-fungible token (NFT) chains, is the most reliable medium for immutable digital art?
Mr. Black: I believe Ordinals are the only true non-fungible tokens because they’re the only ones that are truly immutable. The art is inscribed directly onto a satoshi, the smallest unit of Bitcoin, making it part of Bitcoin itself, not dependent on smart contracts or external storage.
Ethereum and other chains rely on smart contracts, which can be updated, paused or even exploited. With most NFT projects, you’re also trusting the team behind the contract to keep it alive. But Ordinals don’t require trust. Once it’s inscribed, it simply is forever. That permanence makes Ordinals the first true form of eternal and decentralized digital art in human history.
CT: How did the idea for the 21,000-piece collection “The Eyes Are Always Watching” first take shape?
MB: The project started with just the eyes. I had been building it quietly for about five months with my artist Craig, who lives in the United Kingdom. On Thanksgiving night, Nov. 23, 2023, I was alone for the first time since my divorce from Malka. That night, the vision for “The Eyes Are Always Watching” came to me.
It felt like a message meant for the world, and I’ve been committed to bringing it to life ever since. Originally, it was a 10,000-piece collection, but as we researched cultures across the globe, the scope expanded. It became clear this had to be bigger. We grew it to 21,000 pieces. One for every millionth of a Bitcoin, as a tribute to BTC and what it represents.
CT: What core message do you hope collectors absorb when confronted with the project’s mantra, “Fear God, not man”?
MB: Today, a lot of people fear judgment from other people more than accountability before God. The idea of sin has shifted. If no one sees it, it’s like it didn’t even happen. But “Fear God, not man” flips that. It’s a reminder that what’s unseen by others is still seen by God.
“The Eyes Are Always Watching” refers to His eyes, not surveillance or social pressure. It’s about living with integrity, even when no one’s looking. This project challenges people to rethink what really matters. The only way to be truly fearless is to fear only God.
CT: How did you design 777 unique generative traits so each inscription reflects a facet of our world rather than just random pixels?
MB: The number 777 wasn’t planned; we had 776 handcrafted traits, and I added one more at the end. From the beginning, my team and I did deep research into global cultures. We wanted each trait to reflect a real part of the world, something meaningful, not just random pixels.
Early on, the goal was anonymity. I wanted people to wonder where this came from, maybe Asia, Africa, South America — not assume it was Western. But as the project evolved and I stepped forward, Western culture naturally took on a bigger role. Still, the collection stays rooted in a global perspective. All 8 billion should be able to see themselves within it.
CT: Could you explain how Ordinals ensures your art remains forever untouchable onchain?
MB: Ordinals allow me to inscribe the art directly onto a specific satoshi. That data becomes part of the Bitcoin itself, permanently inscribed on that specific satoshi. It’s not stored offchain or linked through a URL; it is the art, fully onchain. Once it’s inscribed, it can’t be changed, moved or deleted; not by me, not by anyone.
That’s what makes it so powerful. Even if someone put a gun to my head, I couldn’t alter it. The permanence comes from Bitcoin’s proof-of-work (PoW) consensus. It’s secured by the only decentralized and battle-tested network in the world. As long as Bitcoin exists, so does the art.
CT: What philosophy drove your decision to work on a free mint amid a bear market, and what does that say about accessibility in Bitcoin adoption?
MB: The free mint actually started with a Dutch auction back on Sept. 16 for .7 BTC per Ordinal (1 BTC if sold the first day), dropping .1 BTC — approximately 100 million each day — until it was free. I liked the idea of letting go and letting God take over and accepting the outcome, however it may go, even for free.
Launching during a bear market was tough, as Ordinals are still early, and even OpenSea doesn’t support them yet. But that’s part of the point. Bitcoin art, to me, is the purest form of art. Unchangeable, permanent and scarce. By making it accessible, even free, I make room for mass adoption. It’s a long-term conviction.
CT: How does partnering your collection with CasaMalka tequila illustrate the crossover potential between consumer brands and Web3 culture?
MB: I integrated CasaMalka into the collection in a subtle and very artistic way that highlights the difference between pure spirits and those with additives. Many mainstream tequila brands market themselves as being 100% agave, but they use sugar cane and additives to control the flavor and mass-produce it.
CasaMalka is clean, pure and additive-free, made in the beautiful mountains of Jalisco, Mexico. This partnership shows how Web3 allows you to build a culture around a consumer brand in a unique way that traditional marketing doesn’t offer. There’s never been a better time to launch a brand and build global awareness quicker than through the power of Web3.
CT: Where do you envision Bitcoin-native art and your own creative practice heading over the next five years as Ordinals matures?
MB: Becoming an artist and creating The Eyes Are Always Watching has tremendously changed my life. I never set out to be an artist — this all started after some tough losses and failed ventures. But through it, I found a voice I didn’t know I had.
As Ordinals continue to grow, I believe we’ll see use cases that go far beyond art. For the first time in history, a creator can ensure their work stays in its original state — uncensored and untouched.
Personally, I’d love to start my next art project. It’s been over a year since The Eyes Are Always Watching was completed. I would do anything to get back to making art, but first, I need to get The Eyes Are Always Watching out into the world.
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