made of money currency portraits by evan wondolowski
(above) ’50 Cent’ rendered in U.S. dollars

 

 

 

 

evan wondolowski has taken his obsession with money and turned it into a creative endeavour. ‘it’s the foundation of our society and affects everything within it. although people have become divided by politics, religions, and languages, we are all united by our collective dependence on money,’ he says.

 

with this in mind, he transforms currency from a medium of exchange to a medium of expression. though the money he uses in his portraits – rendering the likes of 50 cent, denis rodman, to ron paul and barack obama – is no longer valid as legal tender, he has layered them with new value by stripping them down and reconstructing them into each artwork.

made of money currency portraits designboom
detail of the thin strips of currency

 

 


the ‘making of’ the 50 cent portrait
video courtesy of evan wondolowski

 

made of money currency portraits designboom
‘dennis rodman’ rendered in north korean won
16″ x 26″

 

made of money currency portraits by evan wondolowski
detail of dennis rodman’s signature lips

 

made of money currency portraits designboom
‘ron paul’ rendered in U.S. dollars
16″ x 26″

 

made of money currency portraits by evan wondolowski
‘ron paul’ (detail)

 

money-portrait-obama-designboom-01
‘barack obama’ rendered in U.S. coins

 

money portrait obama designboom
detail of ‘barack obama’

 

 

 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.