Gerard Williams 'Cultural Currency'

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These are made partially visible through small windows disclosing numeric denominations as well as isolated details such as illustrations, patterns etc., however, the origin of the notes is obscured.

Handel Street Projects is pleased to announce Cultural Currency an exhibition of new works by British artist Gerard Williams.

The exhibition consists of a number of small birch plywood tablets, each of which encapsulates at least two genuine, complete bank notes. These are made partially visible through small windows disclosing numeric denominations as well as isolated details such as illustrations, patterns etc., the origin of the notes is obscured. Cultural Currency plays with relative values, with the value of art, the value of money, with connections between culture, history and financial capital, with value and the passage of time, with the position of nations relative to world financial hierarchies. Each double-sided work is a unique variation on the theme. Whilst the notes are loose and unfolded, they are also permanently sealed within the work, therefore in order to realize their monetary value, or their value as collectables, the artwork would have to be destroyed.

Handel Street Projects is also pleased to offer a unique commissioned extension to Cultural Currency available by negotiation: Why not consider converting your share certificates, gilts, bonds etc. into an artwork whilst ensuring that you do not compromise their value as financial instruments? Large, vulgar wads of banknotes can also be lovingly housed in attractive, unique, individually hand crafted, minimalist, geometric wooden sculptural volumes!

The work of Gerard Williams has often either pointed to or revealed aspects of our personal and/or culturally-founded preconceptions. Through his entire body of work, Williams uses fabric, timber and found/pre-existing objects along with a trademark meticulousness and attention to detail, to pursue concerns arising from the relationship of opposites: inside and outside, private and public, made and found, real and pretend. Throughout all of this he questions aspects of the position, reception and role of the artwork relative to context, material and audience.

Over the last three decades Williams’ work has been widely exhibited by international institutions and public galleries, he has also worked with major commercial galleries/ gallerists both here and abroad. His work has been acquired by and is held in numerous private and public collections including The Arts Council of England Collection; The Contemporary Art Society, London; The Sandretto Re-Rebaudengo Foundation, Turin; Castello di Rivara Contemporary Art Centre, Italy; Leeds City Art Gallery; The Progressive Art Collection, Cleveland, Ohio. A new public commissioned work is now on show at the Collection and Usher, the city of Lincoln’s museum and gallery.