Ross Ulbricht’s Art
Ross Ulbricht has dedicated part of the sale of his art to helping others. Through a charitable fund called Art4Giving, he supports causes and projects that make a real difference in people’s lives.
Grow in the Dark
– 2022
Digital colorized animation made up of 318 individual black-and-white drawings created by Ross in prison. The animation team added coloring, music and loop.
“What began as a desire to track the development of my plant became a much bigger project. What are its surroundings? A cell? How did we get there? Am I there too? I played it over and over in my mind’s eye, imagining how it might look. However, I had no idea how laborious a little animation could be…Oddly, I won’t see this animation myself, not unless I defy the idea it conveys and leave this cage before I grow old and die.”
“I made 64 evenly spaced tic marks around the rim of the cup my plant grew in so that every day I could rotate it slightly and get a new angle on it as it grew…I worked out the geometry of perspective, how objects appear to grow faster the closer you get to them. I imagined different frame rates by tapping my hand and seeing the animation progress in my mind. I thought about how long each part would take, how many frames I would need and how the sizes of the various objects would change. I worked out the formulas and calculated…I traced static elements, using the lightbox I fashioned and averaged dynamic elements between key frames.” – Ross
What Becomes of the Cages
– 2022
Oil on canvas created in prison.“What becomes of the cages when we are no longer willing to hurt one another?” – Ross
Human Blockchain
– 2022
Oil on canvas created in prison.
Series 1, block 5, 6, and 7
“It started with Bitcoin, and before it’s done, it will connect us all. Crypto is human. Here is block 5. The genesis blocks through block 4 and beyond block 7 will come in time.” – Ross
Death
– 2021
Oil on canvas created in prison, with accompanying essay.
“My future died that day in court when I was sentenced to life without parole. When I got back to the federal detention center, I did not go straight to my cell block as usual. This time, I was interviewed first to judge whether I was suicidal. I wasn’t, and thankfully, I convinced them I wasn’t, or I would have spent a few days in one of the dreaded “suicide watch” cells. I understand why they did that though. Lots of lifers are suicidal. There is no parole in the federal system, so life means your whole life. It is the same as a death sentence. It just takes longer.” Full essay here.
Perspective
– 2020
Graphite pencil drawing created in prison.
“What is consciousness? How can it be recognized? Is it confined to your perceptions, or does it permeate all of reality?
The process of information exchange in our minds that gives rise to consciousness can be seen at all levels, from elementary particles to atoms, molecules, cells, tissues, organisms, organizations, societies and civilizations.
You know it when you see it in an eye, but how deep does it go? How many levels up and how many down? Where are we in the hierarchy? Look down and you are a giant. Look up and see the insignificance of your tiny world.” – Ross
Uncageable
– 2020
Graphite pencil drawing created in prison, with accompanying poem. Drawn during the grueling 2020 year of coronavirus lockdown (22 to 24 hours a day locked in his cell every day).
From the light of freedom to a concrete tomb,
The fall was great and swift.
My soul cried out in a mighty boom,
How could it come to this?
Clamped down, trapped stuck,
Paralyzed in a tiny cage.
Had fate left me not a drop of luck?
Was there reason for this rage?
Told to lay down and die,
Something deep inside me stirred.
I can’t be caged I have to fly!
Not yet am I interred.
They can take my body, tie me down,
It matters not a bit.
My spirit still runs wild and free,
So in freedom here I sit.
170k!
– 2019
Pencil drawing created in prison.
When his clemency petition reached 170,000 signatures, Ross illustrated a few loved ones who have been tirelessly fighting for him and the incredible support he has received these past years.
Welcome Home
– 2019
Graphite pencil drawing created in prison.
“We set our alarms for 10pm EST every night so we can visualize my freedom for a few moments all at the same time. This is what I imagine some nights. No words can capture how good this will feel.” – Ross
Lyn’s Birthday
– 2018
Graphite pencil drawing created in prison. Made for his mom Lyn’s birthday.
Life in a Box
– 2016
Graphite pencil drawing created in prison, with accompanying essay. A depiction of Ross’s cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in New York City.
“I let my hair and beard grow for one year after I was given two life sentences plus forty years without parole. Then I drew this picture of me in my cell with Scott, my cellie…Try, if you can, to imagine being in this 65-square-foot cell, just you, your cellie and a pet mouse…Now imagine living here day after day after day…” Full essay here.
The Trial I Saw
– 2015
Graphite pencil drawing created in prison. A creative interpretation based on Ross’s perception of his trial, seen through his own mask.
You lookin’ at Me?
– 2001
Graphite pencil drawing made at 17 years old.
Quicksilver
– 1992
Graphite pencil drawing made at 8 years old.
I Hope the War is Over
– 1990
Drawing made at 6 years old.