title>  Pledge
medium>    copper, edition of 5000
dimensions>    25mm diameter each
date>  2002

Pledge is an edition of copper tokens, each bearing the words "I WILL". The tokens may serve as an alternate form of currency, a sort of promissory note for recognizing non-commercial exchanges, particularly social bonds of trust that elude quantification. Abstract intentions may be concretized by actually putting them to use. The tokens circulate quietly, formalizing personal gestures and marking moments of individual interaction -- small changes.

bibliography> Rosemary Heather and Steve Reinke essays in McMaster Museum of Art catalogue

presentation history> 2002 McMaster

bibliography> McMaster catalogue essays by Rosemary Heather and Steve Reinke

title>  Cambio
medium>   self-inking rubber stamps, for re-valuation of currencies, edition of 9
date>   2001

An edition of self-inking rubber stamps with the text "UN BESO," a common Spanish-language salutation of affection. They permit users to add emotional value to their monetary transactions.

title>  Thanksgiving
medium>   set of two coupons published in The Globe and Mail
date>   distributed 6 Nov 99

Two coupons, indicating "thanks" and "many thanks," are put into circulation through a national newspaper, to be clipped out and used as an alternative form of currency. Commercially worthless but capable of signalling other kinds of value, these chits suggest the possibility of recognizing gestures that exist to the side of monetary exchange, particularly acts of grace that elude quantification. They circulate quietly, formalizing personal interactions and marking moments of individual exchange — small change. As they change hands, they translate abstract notions of value into concrete actions, and vice-versa. They are distributed and eventually dispersed through space and time, their effects more imagined than observable.The project is related to others: Acción de gracias was realized in Mexico City with an edition of paper bills offset-printed with the expression "1000 gracias"; Change was a quantity of metal slugs each engraved with the single word "bon" or "bien"; and Tender was a set of coupons published in MIX magazine (Toronto) in Autumn 2001.

title>   Change
medium>   quantity of engraved metal slugs, for distribution
date>   1999

A quantity of coin-like metal slugs, each engraved with the single word "bon" or "bien", are sent into circulation as an alternative form of currency. Commercially worthless but capable of signalling other kinds of value, these tokens suggest the possibility of recognizing gestures that exist to the side of monetary exchange, particularly acts of grace.