The Colours of Money: Artmoney as Community Currency

Abstract

Artmoney is a community currency based on the production and exchange of original art. Critical of the cold and objective nature of conventional transactions, the Danish artist Lars Kraemmer first devised artmoney as a means to a more humanised and expressive type of monetary exchange, intending to bring people together in affective, rather than impersonal, forms of trade. Artmoney provides a means of stimulating trade amongst artists and non-artists outside of the conventional money economy, and has grown steadily to become a global currency traded in over 70 countries. Drawing from ongoing research, this article asks, what is the meaning and value of art-money in a global cultural economy? What alternative does it present and what economic futures (or pasts) does it anticipate? Presenting preliminary findings from interview research with art-money producers, this article outlines some of the motives for becoming involved in this art/currency project, and some of the contradictions and challenges raised in its production and circulation.