Alejandro Monge
B. 1988
Spanish
Like many artists in Cultural Currency, Alejandro Monge also questions the inherent value of “fiat” money, according to collector Davis Riemer. Fiat money is a government-issued currency not backed by a physical commodity, such as gold or silver, but rather by the government that issued it. Riemer further elaborates that fiat currency has no inherent value on its own; it is simply paper. Rather, its value is supported by cultural values, societal spending, and economic cycles imposed by governments. In essence, money is the ultimate form of conceptual art.
Monge’s currency sculpture of (what appear to be) stacked $100 bills are life-like in appearance and scale with a few exceptions: they are made entirely of steel, including the rubber band seemingly wrapped around the bills. Secondly, the bills appear to be partially burnt. Part trickery infused with irony and dark humor, the conceptual underpinnings of the piece address universal critiques regarding society’s heavy dependency on money. Monge’s overall body of work includes sculpture, painting, and photography that often reference destruction with imagery of fire and weapons like guns, grenades, baseball bats, and arrows. Even his large installations of rooms overflowing with “cash” hint at the all-consuming nature of greed.
Monge studied design and fine art, with an emphasis on sculpture, at the Escuela de Artes de Zaragoza, Spain. He has exhibited widely across Spain and overseas, including at the Museo Goya (Spain), Art Basel (Miami, FL), Art Cologne (Germany), Design Days Dubai, and Estampa art fair (Spain). He currently lives and works in Zaragoza, Spain, and is represented by 3 Punts Gallery in Barcelona, Spain.
