The famous Satoshi Nakamoto statue, a brilliant vision-line illusion, imagined by Italian artist Valentina Picozzi, reported missing on Sunday was recovered from a nearby lake, Satoshigallery, the artistic project run by Picozzi, said in a speech on X.
The gallery reported that the statue was missing on August 3 with a photo showing only empty base where the layers of vanishing stripes fading to code had stood since the end of 2024. The statue representing the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin was revealed on October 25, 2024 on Plan B’s Bitcoin -Forum as Swiss when and Lugano Raced to Fire (btc) Hub.
The theft was first reported by X -User @Grittoshi, who suspected it had been thrown into a lake next to the sculpture. Satoshigallery offered a reward of 0.1 BTC to anyone who could help find the statue.
“We offer 0.1 BTC to the one who will help us restore the statue of Satoshi Nakamoto, stolen yesterday in Lugano,” X Post said. “You can steal our symbol, but you will never be able to steal our souls. We are all in this together and obliged to place the statue in 21 places around the world.”
Grittoshi had suggested that the theft was a vandalism due to festivities related to the Swiss national day falling on August 1st.
“There are cameras all over the city, so I assume they just threw it inside the lake next door before traveling home. No way they could have carried it unnoticed in town.” Grittoshi wrote shortly before the statue was actually found in the lake.
Which damage the statue is not determined is determined.
Picozzi shared photos on social media of the statue that was recovered, suggesting that Kintsugi-style repairs may be in order. Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken objects with specific coating mixed with driven precious metals such as gold, silver or platinum.
A petition asking the city of Lugano for “logistical and security support” to restore the statue has been launched. Picozzi has offered to do things at her own expense, says the petition.
The theft took place just over a week after the Satoshi Gallery revealed its third Satoshi Nakamoto Statue in Tokyo, Japan.
