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V11 2008 INDEX
E-SYLUM ARCHIVE
NEW COIN ART FORM IN AMSTERDAM
Dick Johnson submitted these thoughts on an Amsterdam
artist who uses coins in his work. -Editor
There is a new coin art form on exhibit in
Amsterdam. It is laying coins loosely in artistic patterns on the ground
of a large plaza. Part of the coins spell out the slogan "Obsessions make
my life worse and my work better." The remainder of some 300,000 euro cent
denomination coins are arranged in calligraphic form with floral
embellishments. The art work is the creation of Stefan Sagmeister for an event called the Biennale 2008 in celebration, it appears, of urban living. It bears the theme "Space and Place, Design for the Urban Landscape."
After all, the organizers are eager to point out that cities are home to over half the world's population. Further cities are a metaphor for today's cultures and a testing ground for new forms of conviviality and interaction.
A news article doesn't say how long it took a team of eight to form the design in coins. Each coin was painstakingly positioned within the 20 x 42 meter area.
They are well aware it is money lying on the ground. Will viewers leave the art work intact because of its beauty? Will they take the coins and create their own design in response to the work? Or will greed take over and the coins gradually disappear?
You can view the pictures on the following web site. The first illustration is on a wall, the others are on the "Coins Road."
To read the complete article, see: 300,000 Euro Cent Coins Road (http://www.joubonjala.com/forum/photos-arts/
65185-300-000-euro-cent-coins-road.html)
Wayne Homren, Editor
The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org.
To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor at this address: whomren@gmail.com
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