J.S.G. Boggs: Art & Medium of Exchange

J.S.G. Boggs Money Quotation saying currency is art, as well as a representation of value which is universally accepted as a medium of exchange. J.S.G. Boggs said:
 

 

“One of the reasons money fascinates me as an image is that money is so many different things all at the same time. It’s a work of art, it’s a medium of exchange, it’s a representation. In short, it’s a representational work of art that represents many different things” — J.S.G. Boggs

This quote from J.S.G. Boggs further elaborates on his view that money has an artistic dimension in addition to its economic functions. The best interpretation is that Boggs sees currency as both a visually designed artistic object as well as a symbolic representation of economic and social concepts.

He notes that money simultaneously serves as a medium of exchange in transactions, a store of value, and a portable work of graphic art – fulfilling artistic, practical and symbolic roles simultaneously.

By describing money as “a representational work of art that represents many different things”, Boggs emphasizes how banknotes combine aesthetic craft with layers of conceptual meaning.

So in essence, the quote casts appreciation for the multifaceted nature of money as both a functional and representational/artistic creation according to Boggs’ perspective.

Birthday: January 16, 1955 – Death: January 22, 2017

Jules Renard: Earning Nothing as Writer

Jules Renard Money Quotation saying that working as a writer means you are not expected to have any earnings. Jules Renard said:
 

 

“Writing is the only profession where no one considers you ridiculous if you earn no money” — Jules Renard

In this quote, French author Jules Renard seems to be commenting on how writing is a unique profession in that earning little or no money from it does not diminish one’s credibility or status as a writer. He suggests that while most other occupations require earning an income to be taken seriously, writers are afforded more leniency and are not viewed as “ridiculous” even if they do not profit financially from their work.

The quote conveys Renard’s observation that writers alone have the liberty to pursue their craft without the pressure of commercial success or financial gain. This sets writing apart from other jobs where not earning a wage would undermine one’s professional reputation and competence.

Birthday: February 22, 1864 – Death: May 22, 1910

O. Henry: Shadows of Words in Hunger

O. Henry Money Quotation saying the finer things in life cannot be appreciated by those without basic necessities and food. O. Henry said:
 

 

“Love and business and family and religion and art and patriotism are nothing but shadows of words when a man’s starving” — O. Henry

In this quote, O. Henry is emphasizing that basic human needs like food and survival must come before abstract concepts. When a person is starving, things like love, business, family, religion, art, and patriotism lose all real meaning. A starving person can think of nothing except finding their next meal.

So O. Henry is saying that as long as any person lacks food security, higher ideals that society often values become empty and irrelevant.

The best interpretation is that worldly and spiritual matters matter little when physical sustenance is lacking. O. Henry viewed fulfilling basic material needs as the foundation upon which all other parts of life must be built.

Gregg Allman on Playing for Rent

Gregg Allman Money Quotation saying Successful musicians struggle to pay the rent early in their careers. Gregg Allman said:
 

 

“I didn’t think we would ever make enough money to pay rent by playing music” — Gregg Allman

In this quote, musician Gregg Allman seems to be reflecting on his early career aspirations and expectations. By stating he didn’t think he and his bandmates would ever earn enough through music to even pay rent, Allman appears to be acknowledging that he initially doubted they could financially sustain themselves solely through their musical talents and performances.

The quote conveys Allman’s perspective that achieving professional and financial success in the music industry seemed an unlikely prospect at the outset of his journey. Overall, Allman’s remark suggests he did not foresee the commercial heights his band The Allman Brothers Band would reach, and portrays his humble beginnings pursuing music without much confidence in its earnings potential to support basic living costs.

Birthday: December 8, 1947 – Death: May 27, 2017

Collage Artist Mark Wagner on Money as Art

Below are comments made by Paper Collage Artist Mark Wagner about his money collage art, work that makes us look more closely at currency. The video directly below has none of the quotes, but features Wagner talking to CBS Sunday Morning about his art. The quotes come from the second video on the page below from Avant Garde Diaries, titled “Money is Material”:

“The taboo around destroying a dollar bill makes people pay more attention to what … I’m doing than if I was using any other piece of paper”

“The object in question is essentially just a piece of paper. Money and currency don’t actually exist in the real world, they’re just something that we’ve made up”

“Sometimes I stop thinking of it as a dollar bill, I just think about it as materials. I have to remind myself sometimes that it’s worth money”

“It’s basically the most popular piece of paper on the planet”

“The dollar bill is ostensibly the most successful publication ever printed” – Mark Wagner

Mark Wagner: Destroy Dollar Bills

Mark Wagner Money Quotation saying the value of his paper collage art is altered by the currency paper used to create it. Mark Wagner said:
 

 

“The taboo around destroying a dollar bill makes people pay more attention to what … I’m doing than if I was using any other piece of paper” — Mark Wagner

Mark Wagner seems to be making a statement about how taboos or controversial acts can draw more attention than conventional behaviors. By destroying a dollar bill, which is generally seen as unacceptable to damage, he knows it will provoke a stronger reaction from viewers than if he was manipulating a normal piece of paper.

The taboo or social prohibition around harming currency means people will pay closer attention to his actions simply because it breaks an established rule or norm. His point appears to be that violating expectations or societal restrictions is an effective way to command notice and focus observers on one’s message or artistic expression.

The quote suggests controversy itself can be an attention-grabbing tool for artists.

Mark Wagner on Money Existence

Mark Wagner Money Quotation saying that use of money in collage art makes us examine the real value of currency. Mark Wagner said:
 

 

“The object in question is essentially just a piece of paper. Money and currency don’t actually exist in the real world, they’re just something that we’ve made up” — Mark Wagner

Mark Wagner seems to be making a philosophical point about the nature of money and currency. By saying that money is “just a piece of paper” and that its value is something “we’ve made up”, he’s arguing that monetary systems are socially constructed rather than having intrinsic worth. Money only has meaning and power in society because people have agreed and legislated that it does, not because paper bills or coins have value on their own.

His point appears to be that currency is an abstract human invention without real-world substance, since paper and metal only represent purchasing ability through shared belief rather than inherent properties. The quote suggests money only exists conceptually in economic and legal frameworks, not materially, challenging common perceptions of it as a tangible commodity rather than a social construct.

Overall, Wagner seems to be commenting on the subjective and fabricated nature of currency systems.

A photo posted by Mark Wagner (@markwagnerinc) on Oct 2, 2015 at 1:11pm PDT

Tim Kreider on Free of Charge Work

Tim Kreider Money Quotation saying in a New York Times editorial that starving artists accept work without pay for ‘exposure’ and stop anyone from being paid what they are worth. Tim Kreider said:
 

 

“There is a bottomless supply of ambitious young artists … so thrilled at the prospect of publication … happy to do it free” — Tim Kreider

In this quote, the author is referring to the fact that publications and websites can continue to exploit young and ambitious artists by asking them to work for free, because there will always be a large pool of such artists willing to do so.

The author notes that many early-career creators are so eager for exposure and publication credits that they are happy to accept no pay or compensation in exchange.

This willingness allows editors to rely on unpaid labor from new artists, perpetuating the cycle of treating creative work as something that need not be paid.

The quote suggests this is an unfortunate reality that enables the practice of unpaid work to persist in the industry.