FREEING CURRENCY SYMBOLS

John Engen has created his interpretation of symbols on global currencies for anyone and everyone to appreciate. The utilitarian object is reimagined by developing it into fine art. The process combines a life time of traditional fine art painting with decades of acquiring skills in computer art software.

Each nation’s symbol on their bank notes represents the country’s history, its social statement and the note’s monetary value making the symbol the most interesting part of the currency.

To create John’s interpretation of a bank note’s symbol, he uses his own art works which he has painted with traditional mediums such as oils, acrylic, watercolor, combined with digitally created art. By choosing the mosaic format it allows John to incorporate the various mediums into a style which expresses the portraits in a way that no single medium is capable of achieving.

John’s currency mosaics gives the viewer a different perspective of an image they routinely see and use without much thought. It “frees” the image from its original state to become a fine art creation. One can compare the utilitarian object with John’s re-imagining image and appreciate the immense difference.