The stolen Satoshi Nakamoto statue has been recovered in a damaged state from Lake Lugano, and a petition campaign is underway for its restoration.

## The Disappeared Satoshi Statue Has Been Found

On August 4th, the statue of Satoshi Nakamoto, the creator of Bitcoin, which was reported stolen on August 3rd, was recovered by city officials from Lake Lugano in Switzerland.

The statue of Satoshi Nakamoto, which was installed in Chiani Park by Lake Lugano, was torn from its pedestal by someone in the early hours of August 2 and has been missing. The Satoshi statue retrieved from the lake was found cut into multiple pieces, leading to the belief that it was not just a prank but an intentional act of destruction.

The news of the disappearance of the Satoshi statue spread on social media X on the 3rd, eliciting outrage from the Bitcoin community. The art collective "Satoshigallery," which created the Satoshi statue, immediately offered a reward of 0.1 BTC (approx. 1.68 million yen at the time of writing) and called for information leading to the recovery of the statue.

Satoshigallery stated, "While you can steal our symbols, you can never steal our souls," reaffirming their determination to continue the movement to install Satoshi statues in 21 locations worldwide.

In addition, a signature campaign to restore the Satoshi statue has been launched by a citizen group in Lugano, and Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether, has also expressed his support. Satoshigallery has stated that it will cover all costs associated with the production and provision of a new statue, on the condition that the Satoshi statue is safely displayed.

Luca Esposito, the spokesperson for the organization leading the signature campaign, commented on the work known as the Satoshi statue as follows.

This work is not just a statue; it symbolizes individual freedom, economic independence, and the right to privacy, much like Bitcoin. It embodies values that are deeply rooted not only in technological innovation but also in Switzerland's traditional ideals.

as a symbol of the Bitcoin movement

Satoshigallery is an art collective led by Italian artist Valentina Picozzi. Since being captivated by Bitcoin in 2012, Picozzi has been active as an artist conducting awareness campaigns about Bitcoin.

Based on the理念 that "image creates culture, culture shapes values, and values determine the future," we aim to express the philosophy of Bitcoin and its creator Satoshi Nakamoto through art, connecting the culture of Bitcoin with the people.

Satoshigallery mainly produces public art such as sculptures and installations. In line with the total supply of Bitcoin, which is 21 million BTC, they are promoting a project to install art themed around Satoshi Nakamoto in 21 locations around the world.

This incident seems to have gone beyond the mere creation of an art piece, raising awareness of the mission of Satoshigallery, which plays a role in the cultural and social movement of Bitcoin, and strengthening the unity of the community.

World Satoshi Statue

This time, the damaged Satoshi statue "Disappearing Satoshi" was donated to the city of Lugano at the Bitcoin conference "Plan₿ Forum" held on October 25, 2024, in Lugano, Switzerland. The city of Lugano aims to become a hub for cryptocurrency and this statue was installed as a local landmark.

Currently, there are three Satoshi statues installed around the world. (Including the statue in the city of Lugano)

The second statue of Satoshi is located in El Salvador, which was the first country in the world to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender. It was unveiled in February this year at the Marte Museum in San Salvador and is currently installed at the country's Bitcoin Beach.

And the third Satoshi statue is located in Tokyo. It was installed at the "Tokyo Bitcoin Base (TBB)" which opened in April this year, and serves as a symbol of the facility's aim to further promote Bitcoin.

Satoshi gallery describes this work as follows.

This statue is designed to give the viewer a sense as if they have disappeared, and a feeling that the inventor remains between the lines. Today, Satoshi, who realized the world's first decentralized payment system, exists within the code of Bitcoin.

This statue represents the typical image of a hacker sitting with a laptop on their lap. It is a tribute to all developers and programmers around the world who have contributed to the building of the Bitcoin ecosystem and fought for transparency and freedom.