About the work
Two Sides of the Same Coin
Commemorative coin project 2014- ongoing
A commemorative coin project; mixed media and multi layered, addressing urgent social and philosophical issues of the present day. With this project, I am interested in creating art that explores while taking a critical view of the role of police, acts of racism, slavery and capitalism's mutual relationship, US military intervention and its relevance for our current moment. This project is a work in progress that is looking at these issues in new ways engaging a diverse audience by highlighting and creating a safe space for the viewer to be provoked, explore, wonder, interpret, or find purpose and meaning in the issues we are facing.
Beginning in the fall of 2014 I have been researching and designing the individual coins; over 283 to date. The front of each coin bears the image of individuals killed or brutally beaten by police, and/or security guards, focusing on black men and women along with text that reads In God We Trust , Liberty and the year they were killed. The reverse of each coin shows the image of the country or world region where the United States has intervened military during the same time period.
From Wounded Knee to Syria, a century of U S military intervention. The design is inspired by the original designs of US coin currency, symbolically representing lives that are priceless.
https://artisabout.com/2016/08/02/a-conversation-with-rosa-naday-garmendia/
Additional resources