"Anything which can insinuate a sliver of individuality into a morass of bureaucratic systematization deserves a secret smile"(Fletcher, 512).
American artist J.S.G. Boggs's dollar bills are modifying the rules of a simple transaction. Bogg's creates bills, either hand drawn or digital prints that mimic real money. Bogg's then uses his bills for purchasing goods, and in a sense treats the bills like legal tender. However, he doesn't try to pass the bills off as being real, which is quite evident upon seeing the bill. His money only contains an image on the front, where the back has his green thumbprint. These bills are considered highly valuable by art dealers, and deemed illegal by various governments. Bogg's takes his bills to unsuspecting people and begins the transaction. Bogg's bill's in action would read something like: wanting to purchase a lamp for $8, and handing the clerk a $10 Bogg's bill, he would then expect to receive $2 in real currency back. After 24 hours have passed, Bogg's tips off art dealers who later contact the individual who received the bill, and a very generous offer is made. The art dealer is also given the change and the receipt from the transaction.
Bogg's has taken the monotony out of money through his sometimes slight or significant alterations to the appearance of a bill. Visually, money is quite stunning with all of the intricacies used to prevent counterfeit bills.
While money is assigned a fixed value, does money have the ability to change meaning as Bogg’s seems to have done with his unorthodox transactions? By accepting a Bogg's bill, the procurer of the bill obviously appreciated the witty artistic detail and the sense of humour of giving Bogg’s change from a seemingly valueless bill. Instead, his bills are not circulated, but take on a different role. The bill is a piece of art. The consumer obviously felt the same, but I wonder what goes through ones mind after making such a purchase? Would the person feel foolish; and even have buyer's remorse, as the bill is only given real value by the owner. However, the moment the person is contacted by an art dealer another phase of the transaction takes place: A moment of decision; to sell or to not sell this piece of art.
Often the Art dealer will offer a substantially higher sum for the bill. This evokes a sentiment from Bogg's himself who said: "In exchanging art for money, we exchange one abstraction for another"(Fortune Magazine). Money and Art have now become the antithesis for one another. The individual's values are called into question. Unlike money, Art’s value has a different quality. Bogg’s bills have the capacity to appreciate over time, and the bill is assigned a new face value. The transaction seems complete when the person decides what to do with the bill. Selling almost seems like compromising the original for the monotonous, while the money collected from selling the bill can surely buy more goods than a simple Bogg's bill. I think Bogg’s message is pretty clear. He forces ordinary people to engage with art on a day to day level. We might challenge our perceptions and become more open to experience, because who knows what gains, financial or otherwise can be made. His sentiment might even encourage people to draw a simple happy face, or sign their name on a bill as a means of giving money a sense of individuality. Who knows where in the world that bill might end up.
Source:Fletcher, Alan “The Art of Looking Sideways”. Phaidon. 512
http://web.ebscohost.com.elibrary.calgarypubliclibrary.com/ehost/detail?vid=6&
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1999/09/06/265312/index.htm
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