"USD 100 Dollars" by Wang Jin

Acclaimed Beijing-based artist Wang Jin chronicles the curious intersection of history and contemporary life in conceptual, thought-provoking compositions. As part of The Censor America series, he created "USD 100 Dollars" on a Qing dynasty paving stone. Known as "golden bricks," these stones paved the floors of the main halls of the Forbidden City palace complex in Beijing and were made of layers of compressed earth polished to a high shine. On each of the bricks in the series, the artist superimposed a truncated version of a currency note. This surprising juxtaposition conflates traditional notions of culture with a potent symbol of world economies and points at the consumption of Chinese culture by global market forces.

Acrylic and gesso on ceramic. Custom steel stand included.