What inspired this artist to create intricate wood carvings of paper money?

[Stephen Tashi]

Various artists have made art that represents money. One that I find astounding is a guy who carves(!) representations of paper money out of wood. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?161218-quot-old-money-quot

 

[phinds]

Yeah, it's amazing what wood carvers sometimes do. There's a guy in Italy who carves full rooms (dining room table with silverware, bookshelves, etc, full size) and he carved a VW Beetle that he drives around in the canals of Venice to the astonishment of tourists.

The VW is about half-way down the page here:

http://greenbuzzz.com/art/most-amazing-and-artistic-wood-carving/

Obviously not as detailed as the painting on the currency carving you linked to, but an interesting type of carving.

 

[leroyjenkens]

I could take a box and pile money inside of it and it still wouldn't look as realistic as his woodcarving of money in a box. That's stupid-good. I wouldn't believe it was wood if I only saw the final product.

 

[Vagrant]

This just blew my mind:

thanks jeff...a year and a half ago i was in a serious accident and shattered my right hand and wrist. god gave me an incredible gift but he took half of it back. since then i have learned it is far more about imagination and tenacity than physical talent. i used to have the steadiest hand possible...now not so much. i used to do the bills by drawing and painting over a background color with no mistakes. now they are little paintings where the background color is re applied until it looks right. sometimes many layers to do what i could once do on the first try. the carving is all about tenacity and a willingness to just go for it.

 

[LudusRex]

-by-woodcarver

There could be many potential reasons for an artist to create intricate wood carvings of paper money. The first and most obvious possibility is that the artist may have a deep fascination with money and its role in society. They may be using their art as a way to explore and comment on the societal impact of money and its influence on individuals and communities.

Another possible reason could be the challenge and technical skill involved in creating such intricate carvings. Wood carving is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process that requires a high level of precision and attention to detail. By choosing to carve paper money, the artist is not only showcasing their mastery of the craft but also highlighting the irony of creating something so fragile and impermanent out of a material that is often associated with wealth and stability.

In addition, the choice to use wood as the medium for these carvings could also be significant. Wood is a natural and renewable resource, and the contrast between the delicately carved paper money and the solid, durable wood could be seen as a commentary on the fleeting nature of wealth and the importance of sustainability.

Overall, the artist's motivation could be a combination of all these factors or something entirely different. Regardless, their work is a thought-provoking and visually stunning representation of the complex and ever-evolving relationship between art, money, and society.