Someone has produced a Flickr photoset of paper money. The photographer has gone beyond the mere "examples of the moneys of the world" and has instead focused on the details. Money is not what it seems.
Paper money is often beautiful stuff. While it is legal tender we scarecely [sic] notice it-only what it represents. But old banknotes often have great beauty- some of the finest engraving you are likely to see anywhere- in technicolour. Add to that the transparency of paper and watermarks and the patina of age..
If you have some paper money on you, do yourself a favour and take a look at it. Observe the fine details of it. Yes, it has to be detailed for security reasons, but more movingly, this is a fine example of how humanity has to create. Nothing is too valuable to be beyond aesthetics. Money is proof that "function over form" has not won a victory. What can be more functional than money?
It is funny how the most common and mundane objects do not get the consideration of "art". The industrial designer knows this. Many things, such as money, are designed to be art without us considering them to be art. Perhaps this is social engineering, perhaps this is habit.
1 comments:
And Canadian money is basically the coolest money in the world. ^_^
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