NEW DIMENSIONS

Old Metal, New Money: Crypto Box
VIDEO EXAMPLE
This is part of a new series that has been in the works for some time and frankly, I've spent too much time on social media, promoting shows, and have been neglecting this space. Instagram is purely an entertainment platform where no one really cares. I need sales, not likes. Period. With this latest iteration of the Broken Bank Note (BBN) concept, I'm introducing it here to actual visitors who care about and own my work. You get the first look.

Origin
This series examines the changing role of masculinity and what “hard work” means today, specifically around currency and money within the Broken Bank Note ethos.

Criteria
The goal was to take it off the wall, make it smaller, and more self-contained.

Process
There’s too much to explain here, but it started with an idea and experiment in 2018 for the TonePoem series. That was the beginning.

Result
I wanted a found object with instant recognizability. I wanted to interface technology as both a literal and metaphorical bridge between generations. Using instantly recognizable icons of the “working man,” I created small sculptural pieces incorporating various screens to present the shifting landscape of masculinity, success, and hard work in one self-contained object. This met my initial criteria: It could not be another painting.

Why the lunch box
Nothing quite symbolizes work like the industrial revolution. From the famous 1932 photo, "Lunch Atop A Skyscraper", to the album cover of Bill Withers' 1971 debut, taken on a break at Boeing, the lunch box epitomizes hard work and masculinity. It is succinct and instantly recognizable. Yes, it is gender-specific. This was a different time when men did these jobs. I am not attempting to pontificate about women's roles in this era; many others have. I am interested in what masculinity looked like then vs. now, what made money then vs. now, and what hard work looked like then vs. now. This is about men and how things have changed for them.

Additional
The lunch box allows room for electronic components, makes a succinct presentation, and can be easily set up in various spaces. It is practically perfect. The geometry and material make for a great canvas. The potential for overpainting is obvious.

Choices Made
In the first round, I deliberately chose a strange and somewhat feminine color palette. The green hues evoke the antiseptic institutional colors of post-WWII, while the reds and pinks introduced an unexpected feminine twist, hinting at changes to come.

I initially intended a massive overpaint and collage of union propaganda stickers, using drips and hand-rendered type. However, the clean aesthetic felt right for the first release. I appreciate the restraint. I let the box architecture, colors, and screen presentation do the talking. Future efforts may challenge this notion.

Technology
Using a few python modified scripts, I created a real time ticker on a Pi/Linux platform. It connects to wifi and is customizable, using specific coin marketplaces for real time quotes. It can run 24/7 and has intergraded micro USB power supply, fashionably installed in the rear of the box.

There are two more Broken Bank Note Lunchbox ideas coming in the following weeks.