Case Study: Curate magical real world cryptography experiences for Devcon. Part 1
This is the first in a two-part series reflecting on my experience collaborating with Team Cursive to create an end-to-end digital and physical experience for Devcon SEA 2024. In this post, I focus on the Cryptographic Connection Museum, highlighting its cultural impact on the Ethereum Foundation through key exhibits and takeaways.
For a deeper dive into the technical aspects of the project, including the design process behind the Cursive Connection app, the museum’s full walkthrough, and the bespoke NFC-enabled merchandise, check out Part 2
A Vision of Connection
Over the past three months, I had the privilege of collaborating with Cursive — a cryptography and design lab — as a product designer. We started working together at Edge City Lanna in October, and brought to life this unique project at Devcon SEA 2024: the Cryptographic Connection Museum. This initiative aimed to demystify cryptography and showcase its potential as a versatile tool for privacy, creativity, and connection in a rapidly evolving digital world.
Drawing on my background in product design, fashion design, and UX, I worked closely with the core team to transform abstract cryptographic principles into accessible, interactive experiences. Our goal was to demonstrate how cryptography, far from being confined to technical realms, could inspire and connect people in profoundly human ways.
The Museum Experience
At Devcon SEA 2024, Cursive unveiled the Cryptographic Connection Museum — a curated experience celebrating the intersection of cryptography, art, education, and human connection. The museum bridged the tangible and the abstract, transforming complex mathematical concepts into something attendees could see, touch, and experience.
From intellectuals to artists, mainstream enthusiasts to niche professionals, elders to youngsters, the museum captured hearts and minds across Ethereum’s diverse ecosystem. As one attendee put it,
“I think this experience is really remarkable and highlights a piece of culture that is frequently overlooked.”
Key Exhibits: Bridging the Abstract and the Tangible
Walking into the museum felt like stepping into Ethereum’s Infinite Garden — an evolving ecosystem where collaboration and innovation flourish. Cryptography is often perceived as abstract and inaccessible, a discipline of math far removed from everyday life. The museum sought to change that perception, inviting attendees to engage with cryptographic systems in ways that were interactive, approachable, and deeply relevant.
The space buzzed with energy, blending art exhibit, technology lab, and community hub into a unified whole. From playful hands-on demonstrations to thought-provoking installations, each piece told its own story while addressing the larger challenge of making cryptography engaging and meaningful for a diverse audience.
A Proof of Feeling
Gordon Berger’s Unveiling Emotions invited attendees to connect on an emotional level through cryptography; a series of six original artworks paired with an interactive cryptographic element that encouraged reflection and connection.
Viewers are able to submit their emotions by scanning the QR codes and interact with the interface seen below.
By leveraging Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZK) to enable the use of privacy and secrecy as a medium. The artist’s emotion behind each piece is a secret, while its visual manifestation is unveiled and exhibited. Inviting the viewers to shift awareness to their deeply personal experience and feeling what emotions these artworks manifest in them. Leading the audience from the seen to the unseen.
“The installation demonstrated how cryptographic tools can open up novel possibilities to connecting with people based on very personal data. Also creating interactive curated experiences based on a shared provable answer/secret. ZK could help us feel safer to express ourselves by retaining a level of privacy — while still being in dialogue with art and other people.” — Gordon Berger
A Journey Through Cryptographic History
Ais Connolly’s Whispers of Privacy: MPC Through the Years offered a tactile dive into the origins of cryptography. The exhibit recreated a researcher’s desk, complete with original cryptographic research papers, textbooks, and historical artifacts.
Moments of serendipity unfolded as cryptographers discovered their own co-authored papers among the artifacts. For attendees and researchers alike, this exhibit was a celebration of contributions often overlooked, fostering recognition and connection within the Ethereum ecosystem.
The Sacred Thread of Privacy
Finally, at the heart of the museum stood Infinity Loom by IOQ and Tessa Maneewong, a piece inspired by Japanese wishing shrines. Visitors reflected on the question, How may cryptography support dreams of human flourishing? before writing private messages on ribbons and tying them to the shrine. It offers attendees a moment to experience privacy as a form of safety and self-expression. This piece served as a powerful conclusion to the museum journey, reminding participants of cryptography’s profound ability to protect and nurture human connections.
The Takeaway
From designing the exhibition to building it and working on-site every day at Devcon, I witnessed firsthand how attendees engaged with the museum. These interactions revealed the true impact of the space as a thoughtfully curated environment for connection, inspiration, and exploration.
One of the most moving moments came at Whispers of Privacy, where cryptographers — including Don Beaver — discovered their co-authored papers on display. Watching their joy and sense of recognition unfold sparked heartfelt conversations, leaving a lasting emotional imprint on everyone involved.
The museum also inspired builders to imagine their role in future exhibitions. Attendees approached me with excitement, eager to share projects they hoped to showcase next year. These interactions transformed hesitation into curiosity, highlighting the power of creating spaces where people feel part of something larger than themselves.
At Unveiling Emotions, attendees gathered to reflect on Gordon’s art, sharing feelings, engaging in lighthearted guessing games, and exploring deep philosophical discussions about privacy and the future of technology. Meanwhile, Infinity Loom prompted vulnerable, intimate reflections, showing how privacy creates safety — a foundation for trust, self-expression, and connection.
In these moments, the museum’s mission became clear: cryptography is not just a technical tool but a deeply human art form that facilitates connection and care.
How does it uplift Ethereum Foundation’s culture?
The museum embodied Ethereum’s cultural pillars, reflecting its vision of the infinite garden — a flourishing ecosystem where diverse ideas, communities, and disciplines converge to create something greater than the sum of their parts.
By amplifying Ethereum’s subcultures, the museum brought cypherpunk ideals of privacy and security alongside regen principles of human flourishing to life. Pieces like Infinity Loom honored these values, demonstrating cryptography as both a technical tool and a deeply reflective medium for human connection.
More than an exhibition, the museum became a catalyst for inspiration, empowering attendees to envision their contributions — whether by sharing future projects, engaging in new conversations sparked by the exhibits, or experiencing firsthand how art can transform complex technology into something relatable and transformative.
The museum reminded us that Ethereum’s infinite game isn’t just about advancing technology — it’s about the people who nurture, sustain, and grow it together. With continued support, projects like the Cryptographic Connection Museum will inspire curiosity, collaboration, and a future where technology and humanity thrive in harmony.
