Annette Chang’s “Safe Keeping” – Analysis

In this age of neo-liberalism, artists have been exploring money and consumerism within their works. This has not been the only work I have looked at that has used money as a sculptural object, but its approach is certainly unique. The other artist I am referring to is Denis Beaubois, who has been exhibiting stacks of notes as a medium in his work. His work is performative and ongoing, with the use of notes that has been given to him as grant-funding.

Chang, on the other hand, uses only a few notes in her work, but encases them in resin, making them more unattainable. In the resin, they appear to be floating, almost frozen within time and space. While Beaubois money seems to multiply and pass through a number of hands and different places, Chang’s work questions the value of money in a different way. Through using recycled objects, she makes more of a specific reference to the consumer cycle, which in turn raises questions about materialism.

Both Chang’s and Beaubois works are interesting and raise important questions, yet through the use of encasement, Chang’s work seems to address the value of money in a far stronger way. Although the work is minimalist, it makes us wonder if money is really that significant to us, or if we hold it in such high regard that it turns into an object of reverence. Still, given the way our society works, money has a vital function, and seeing such a large amount of money encased in such a way, can make one feel unsettled. Furthermore, encased as a work of art, does Chang’s work become more valuable or less so? Perhaps, like Beaubois work, it might rise in value (his sculpture was auctioned for $21,350). It would certainly be interesting to visit one of Chang’s exhibitions in person and witness how the value of this work is being assessed by other viewers.