Money Dress is based on the style of dresses worn in the 1890’s by Female Explorers, who were overlooked in history. This piece was made in honour of Mary Henrietta Kingsley, a female explorer featured in the book, Female Explorers that Changed the World. She fell into a crevice in the French Congo and was saved by her crinoline when it caught on a tree branch. Money Dress was made as a result of being Atist in Residence at the Royal Geographic Society (RGS) 2010, when I was able to research their extensive collections. It is made with used paper currency from all over the world: the collars, cuffs and belt are crafted from money featuring female figureheads, and the rest of the dress is made from money with male figureheads on, which are turned inwards so you can only see their backs. The original intention was that the whole dress would be made from currency featuring female figureheads but they are still prohibitively rare. As well as being made in honour of Mary Kingsley and her work the piece is based on the idea of female territory and power being enabled by economic independence.

I began working with money as a sculptural material after completing residenies in China and Taiwan, where I observed the tradition of burning “spirit money" in veneration of deceased relatives, and so that they have sufficient means in the afterlife. Collecting beautiful old paper currency combined with the money stories I heard led me to make work with upcycled paper currency. Initially I made the quilt, A Chinese Dream for the exhibion Quilts 1700-2010 at the V&A and then a whole body of work ensued, crafted from paper currency and coins. For a time I was surrounded by disused paper currency, yet I possessed very little of the usable stuff myself and I hoped that if I made work with this money it might bring me luck in the form of funds!

Exhinbtions:

Money Talks: Art Society & Power, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford UK, 9th Aug 24-5th Jan 2025.

Hidden Histories, Untold Stories, Warrington Museum & Art Gallery 2020/21

TEFAF Art Fair, with Patrick Heide Contemporary Art, Maastricht, NL 2020

The First Cut, Manchester Art Gallery & Platt Hall 2013

Creative Compass Royal Geographic Society & INIVA London 2010

Publications:

Money Talks: Art Society & Power Ashmolean publications -Book/Catalogue 2024

ISBN: 978-1-910807-62-0

Money Talks: Art Society and Power - a vivid, revelatory look at two sides of the same coin, The Observer review by Laura Cummings 18th August 2024

Dear Money - how it is made to speak around the globe, Handelsblatt - German daily newspaper by Stephanie Dieckvoss 21st Sept 2024

Money Talks: art society & power-a 'fascinating' show, The Week by Irenie Forshaw 16 Aug

Money Is Art in an Exhibition at Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum, Smithsonian Magazine by Julia Binswanger 5th Sept 2024

Sneek Peek: New Ashmolean Exhibition, Money Talks - Featuring Banksy, Klimt, Rembrandt, Greyson Perry & Elizabeth ll, by Ox In A Box 5th Aug 2024

Talking money moves to Oxford, battered-suitcase, Heritage News 31st May 2024

Susan Stockwell: Hidden Histories Untold Stories, Messy Lines, Feb 28 2021, Julia Johnson

The Queen of Trade Fairs Serves the Change in Taste, Handesplatt Kuntsmark Review at TEFAF Art Fair

The First Cut Manchester Art Gallery & Cornerhouse Publications 2013

Creative Compass, Royal Geographic Society & INIVA, Colonial Dress &

Creative Compass 2010.

Money Works

Susan Stockwell