0.146 kilograms.jpg

[3/7]

Description:
JOSHUA WEBB

0.146 kilograms. 2009
Watercolour.
1x1.5m  (WxH)

The work is accompanied by a wall text 
that recounts my autobiographical journey 
within the United States,
mapping my social interactions 
through a growing collection of currency,
predominately one-cent coins.
Essentially this growing pile and heavy 
pockets of essentially valueless coins became
the physical weight of my daily exchanges. 
This experience was uniquely American to me 
as Australia discontinued the use of one 
and two cent pieces in 1991. 
The coins having little to no monetary value
seemed to represent the American class system,
as the middle and upper classes would have no
need to amass this worthless weight. 
Only the poorer or working classes are
burdened to need to bear this weight as
penance for their social inadequacy… 
their status