Our discussion on Bogg's Bills got me thinking of another form of art that deals with money; it is substantially less intrinsic or detailed than Bogg's works, but still entertaining in a way that engages aesthetic sensibility: money artwork.

In essence, the idea behind money artwork is little more than altering currency to make it look like something else, be it George Washington as various incarnations of Lady GaGa, Andrew Jackson as Gene Simmons of KISS, or Ulysses S Grant as Macho Man Randy Savage. These creations draw on (no pun intended) the playful sensibility of the Fluxus movement, as well as some Dada aspects of art. It presents itself as little more than passing entertainment, but invites deeper introspection to those who want to search for it.

One could argue that these drawings, while borne from idle hands, carry a deep message about the illusory state of currency; indeed, it almost makes a postmodernist statement about money being nothing more than an agreed-upon illusion, and that paper currency does not deserve elevation above any other medium as a place of artistic expression. By the same token (again, no pun intended) this is simplistic and juvenile; the artists are not likely trying to tackle the issues of identity and social agreement in their pieces, but like the Dadaists and Flux artists they are creating works with valuable meaning, so long as one is willing to look for it.