Cultural Currency: Contemporary Art from the Riemer Collection explores the innovative ways artists use money as a medium to expand its worth beyond a predetermined denomination.

About

Each artist in the exhibition investigates preconceived definitions of monetary value, meticulously repurposing bills and coins into exquisite, precise artworks. The collection is the passion of Louise Rothman-Riemer and Davis Riemer, investment advisers from Oakland, CA, who began collecting money-themed art in 1995 to encourage new attitudes toward money's intrinsic value.

The constant exchange of money for goods and services is core to our daily lives. We rely on these transactions to meet our wants and needs, from luxury purchases like entertainment and travel to essential items like food and shelter. Given this simple, mundane truth, we rarely consider the aesthetic qualities of currency, seeking to use bills and coins as a creative medium and inspiration rather than just a means to an end. The featured artists employ globally sourced paper and coin currency with mixed media to engage in new ideas and considerations about what money means to us and how we assign material importance. "The point of it all is to provoke thought about why people want and use money and why they want more," collector Davis Riemer says. "Our hope is that people will see these works of art and walk away with questions about themselves and about money."

Artwork Credits

1. Stacey Lee Webber, Craftsman Series: Back Saw, U.S. pennies, 5.5 x 16.5 x 1 inches.
2. Marcella Lassen, Wall Street Burger, 9 x 13.5 x 14.5 inches.
3. Ray Beldner, This is Definitely Not a Pipe, sewn U.S. currency, 13.75 x 13 x 10.5 inches.
4. Sonya Clark, Afro Abe II, 2008, U.S. currency and yarn, 6.5 x 10 inches.

Photos courtesy of Shaun Roberts.