The ATM that challenges money norms
MSCHF, A brand known for parody artwork and bold statement pieces, has created a new installation. An ATM leaderboard where rankings arebased on the amount of money you have in your bank account.
The piece – shown at the Perrotin gallery's booth at Art Basel in Miami – consisted of a standard functional ATM with a screen above that depicts the balance in the user's checking account. (Dreith, 2022)
"ATM Leaderboard is an extremely literal distillation of wealth-flaunting impulses," MSCHF member Kevin Wiesner told Dezeen.
With the piece, MSCHF aimed to combine a desire to have fun with a statement critiquing the culture of the fair and the role of money in the world of art and design.
To further the point that money plays a significant role in art and design. MSCHF also strategically placed the ATM in an area where money flaunting is prominent in the culture.
we had mentally earmarked this work for a location like Miami Basel, a place where there is a dense concentration of people renting Lamborghinis and wearing Rolexes – and buying art, for that matter
The projection of the balances and the photos on the screen made the piece interactive and the designers said that it was meant to become a performance, as crowds gathered to watch people insert their cards and became vocal about the results as people tried out the ATM. When the results were given, various graphics similar to those seen in arcade games would appear on the screen.
"The higher you are on the ATM Leaderboard the more the piece is making fun of you," Weisner said, noting a sense of camaraderie among those lower on the leaderboard.
The ATM is a physical embodiment of how money is used to show off. The beauty of this piece is that it masks the very obvious portrayal of this idea by turning it into a source of entertainment. The installation blurs lines between mockery and complicity. As stated in a quote above, the ATM celebrates you only up until a certain amount. Those who enter the leaderboard expect to be rewarded to having more money than another person but the reality is users are partaking in a the physical manifestation of flaunting money.
I am really intrigued by how pieces like these challenges societal norms in such a subtle way, most wouldn't catch the real meaning until after they interact. I feel this can be impactful to my capstone because it brings attention to issues that people other wise ignore.
References
Dreith. B, (December 12, 2022). MSCHF's ATM Leaderboard"an extremely literal distillation of wealth-flaunting impulses". dezeen. https://www.dezeen.com/2022/12/12/mschf-atm-leader-board-art-basel/
Silvia Ros, (December12, 2022) MSCHF's ATM Leaderboard"an extremely literal distillation of wealth-flaunting impulses". MSCHF and Perrotin https://www.dezeen.com/2022/12/12/mschf-atm-leader-board-art-basel/
