In the weeks leading up to the grand opening of the Bitcoin Center Miami, I was working relentlessly—painting day and night, preparing a body of work that felt aligned with the moment. At the time, the intersection of art and blockchain was still largely undefined, yet there was a growing sense that something significant was about to emerge.
The opening took place in downtown Miami, bringing together developers, entrepreneurs, and early adopters of what would later become one of the most transformative technological movements of our time.
For me, this was not just another exhibition. It was an entry point into a new cultural space—one where art, technology, and ideology began to overlap.
The atmosphere that evening was charged. Conversations moved quickly between topics—cryptocurrency, decentralization, the future of value. There was a shared awareness that the systems we had taken for granted were beginning to shift.
It was during this event that I was introduced to Francis Suarez.
What stood out was not simply the introduction itself, but the context in which it happened. The presence of a city mayor at a blockchain-focused cultural event signaled something deeper: a recognition that this movement was no longer operating on the margins.
That moment would later evolve into something more tangible. In 2019, a work from my “Do What You Love” series was acquired for permanent display at Miami City Hall—marking an early institutional acknowledgment of a practice rooted in both artistic expression and emerging technological culture.
Looking back, the Blockchain Center opening was more than an event. It was a threshold.
It represented a point where my work began to move beyond traditional contexts and enter a broader conversation—one shaped by innovation, risk, and the redefinition of value itself.
Today, as blockchain continues to influence global systems, that early moment remains a reminder: the most meaningful shifts often begin quietly, before they are fully understood.
Artist Sergey Gordienko and Mayor of Miami Francis Suarez
Artist Sergey Gordienko and Mayor of Miami Francis Suarez in City Hall of Miami
Eryka Gemma and Sergey Gordienko