Boss Budiartho (2021)
Boss Budiartho is a 10-part polyptych, a digital illustration series created in Procreate, developed during early discussions for a visual collaboration with Crypto.com surrounding the launch of the Crypto Arena in Los Angeles. While the partnership did not proceed, the project became a personal exploration of ego, identity, and symbolism across ten interconnected panels. Each piece includes hidden cryptocurrency references layered within narratives inspired by memory, mythology, and self-inquiry.

Process Highlights:

  • Created entirely in Procreate across 10 seamlessly connected panels, combining storytelling with detailed visual continuity.

  • Explores themes of dual identity, emotional archetypes, and synesthetic interpretation through surreal portraiture and iconography.

  • Hidden cryptocurrency elements (Ethereum, Bitcoin, Cardano, etc.) embedded in each illustration as an added layer of meaning and interactivity.

Use the arrow buttons on the gallery below to take a closer look at each piece.

1. 2021
This first panel was inspired by a simple question from the artist’s therapist: “If it were up to you, how would the world be?”
The piece reflects duality — life’s lulls and surges — through a water-drenched dragonfly and thriving fish. It serves as an ode to the artist’s mother, Santhi Budiartho, whose life principle is balance.
🜂 Hidden element: Ethereum

2. TAUGHT
“TAUGHT” continues the exploration of ego. The central female figure represents the artist’s vessel, surrounded by chaotic symbols of the external world. The piece visualizes how relationships and life’s intensity mold identity.
🜂 Hidden element: Bitcoin

3. ME
A cultural self-portrait, this panel captures the artist’s dual identity as both Indonesian and Singaporean. Born in 2000 after her parents fled the 1999 riots in Indonesia, the piece reflects layered heritage and resilience.
🜂 Hidden element: Ripple

4. 2
A personal favorite of the artist, “2” plays with inception and emotional anchors. The iconic “Green Goblin” chair depicted lives in a close friend’s home — symbolizing the people who ground and guide her.
🜂 Hidden element: Litecoin

5. BEFRIEND
A portrait of the artist’s good friend, Kelly. Inspired by Sam’s synesthesia, which visualizes certain words in color, the piece bursts in pinks and oranges — the colors she associates with the word “befriend.”
🜂 Hidden element: Solana

6. MY
A self-portrait in three parts, symbolizing the Id, Ego, and Superego. It explores self-intimacy and how strange it is to stare at your own face for hours. The Crypto.com symbol is placed at the center, representing the artist’s sense of control.
🜂 Hidden element: CRO (Crypto.com)

7. EGO
“EGO” features a bear — the artist’s spirit animal — and a mitochondrion, both powerful, primal symbols. The piece channels the energy and tenacity of the ego in its most raw, biological form.
🜂 Hidden element: Tether

8. BOSS
What rules the universe? This panel suggests the answer lies in biology, the human heart, and nature. The red tones signify dominance and authority, while Dogecoin sits at the center as a playful counterpoint — a reminder that power can be gentle too.
🜂 Hidden element: Dogecoin

9. BITCH
This piece explores the idea of the “bitch stare” — a look that exudes calm, grounded confidence, and quiet strength. It draws parallels to mother nature herself: vast, unwavering, and powerful without needing to be loud. The green eye anchors the composition, surrounded by organic elements that reflect courage, resilience, and a kind of unapologetic presence.
🜂 Hidden element: Binance Coin

10. BUDIARTHO
The final panel is a tribute to heritage. Designed to resemble a coffee-stained book page, it centers on the artist’s surname and the legacy it holds. A softly sketched castle anchors the piece, while the Cardano logo is stylized into a dotted motif that blends into the background like a constellation.
🜂 Hidden element: Cardano