An Investigation of the Spectrum of Money and Art

Final Project

What is money? • Money is a medium of exchange. • “Classically it is said that money acts as a unit of

account, a store of value, and a medium of exchange. • Most authors find that the first two are nonessential

properties that follow from the third.”

Characteristics of money

Acceptability Divisibility Durability

Limited supply Portability Uniformity

What is art?• In the report, art is narrowly defined as visual arts. • “Visual arts are art forms which make works which are

mainly visual in nature, for instance, ceramics, painting, sculpture, design and frequently modern visual arts and architecture.”• “the main purpose of art is the expression of boundless

ideas and concepts.”

Functions of artReligious Events

captureCommunicati

on

Publicity Expression of creativity Novelty

Visual concept capture

Parameter of beauty Narration

Spectrum of money and art

Pure mone

y

Pure art

Regular money

Special edition money

Ancient money

Art made of money

Art imitating money

Money-related art

Valuable art

Invaluable art

Counterfeit money

Regular money• has all the features of

money• not pure money because

the design of the money makes it contain some characteristics of art HSBC

100 HKD note(?)

Art made of money• we can still use it for

daily transaction as long as the money is complete without any missing part but we may need to return it to the original status• people may appreciate

the way that the maker modify the money LimCorp.net

Magician shape fold(2008)

Money-related art• It is more likely to be art• Money is just a theme or

an element in the artwork

mrmo2Jacques-Louis David's "Death of Marat" with a Kazakhstani bill(?)

Valuable art• It is similar to any other normal

artwork

• But it can be sold for more than a million dollar

• So it is not pure art because it can be a store of value as a function of money Jeff Koons

Hanging Heart(2007)