Whether we like to admit it or not, greed is one human emotion we all will face at some point. Conceptual artist Diddo has used this observation as the premise for his latest work, The Cure For Greed.
Using an intricate chemical separation process, the artist extracted and recovered pigment from $10,000 of US currency, individually dosed at 5ml in crimp-sealed medical vials, and paired it with an injection kit, complete with a 24-karat gold syringe, two gold plated needles and packaged into custom monogrammed mahogany or walnut box.
All images & videos © Diddo – Website
From website: The Cure for Greed
Whatever we feel about greed, we can agree on one thing: it exists. Whether there’s too much of it in the world, or too little, is a matter of opinion, not understanding. We all have strong feelings one way or the other. On one side of the debate, some believe it’s the root of all that is corrupt and evil. Conversely, greed is seen and often celebrated as the key behavior that allowed our species to adapt and evolve so successfully.
But what exactly is greed? Is it an immutable algorithm hardwired in our DNA, a survival instinct that triggers responses to a constantly changing environment that can turn hostile at any moment? Maybe greed is an emotional reaction to our cultural reward system? Or the embodiment of the darkest side of our natures, rooted in fear? When you get down to it, you realize how little we really know about ‘greed’.
Still, we’re somehow certain about the effects of greed on individuals and our society. Understanding the effects of this behavior, without understanding its underlying causes, is a dangerous leap of faith. It’s critical that we come to terms with greed at a deeper level if we are to find a ‘cure’, and not just treat its short-term symptoms. We need to dig deeper and investigate how greed shapes our personal and cultural values, and how these in turn affect our potential as a civilization and our future as a species.
‘The Cure For Greed’ is an iconic object that sparks an internal and social dialogue on all aspects of ‘greed’, the benefits as well as dangers of this basic and pervasive human behavior. It’s an invitation to reexamine our assumptions and inject them with the type of energy that will ensure new and evolving perspectives.
Our hope is to learn from this process, and grow, to become more human, not by repressing our nature, but by transcending it with understanding and compassion.
Making of The Cure for Greed
A behind the scenes peek, excerpted over the four-month process to produce The Cure for Greed. Intricate mechanical and chemical separation is needed to extract and recover pigment from US currency. The ink is then re-stabilized, divided into individual doses and packaged into medical vials.
