December 10 - January 23, 1997
This exhibition is about money, what it looks like, its significance, and what we think it can do for us - which means it is an exhibition about almost everything -- the things we value and desire, as well as those we loathe and fear.
From a late 90's vantage point, the aphorisms of past generations have a sort of hollow ring. You don't hear alot of people today saying, "it's only money" or "the best things in life are free." There seems to be a general sentiment that money can buy just about anything and that happiness comes along with the deal (added value). Millions of advertising dollars are spent each year to convince us that even beauty can be attained with the help of the right cosmetic or cosmetic surgeon.
The quickest look around Seeing Money, exposes these ideas as the simplistic notions they are, and reveals the complexity of a subject, which is so much a part of daily life and human interaction. The exhibition holds up for reflection a history which accepted the concept of human beings as commodity, and speaks to the dreams of thousands of immigrants for whom the U.S. dollar still holds out the promise of a new life. It warns against greed and gluttony, and reminds us that there is enough for all, that money's only significance is in how it is spent, and that there are worlds without money.