Money Talks: Art, Society and Power – a 'fascinating' show
Ashmolean exhibition cashes in on the lure of money with a dress stitched with banknotes and Banksy's iconic 'Di-Faced Tenner'

The "serpentine flash of a dollar sign" in Andy Warhol's striking canvas is the perfect opening to an exhibition that explores money through art.
"Money Talks: Art, Society and Power" at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford delves deep into this complex relationship; "money, after all, is in itself both an image and an object", said Laura Cumming in The Observer.
One of the most "enthralling" parts of the show is the section that explores how art is transformed into coins and banknotes. A series of portraits of Edward VIII are on display and they demonstrate the complexity of this process; some were discarded for showing the King as too young or not wearing the right clothing. Edward himself favoured the "modern" designs of John Francis Kavanagh that were "tersely rejected" by the Royal Mint: "Mr. Kavanagh's 'Cubist' designs cannot be taken seriously." In the end it didn't really matter as the King abdicated in 1936 and the coins were shelved.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
It is "startling" to discover that Arnold Machin's plaster bust of Queen Elizabeth II is one of the most reproduced images in history, having appeared on billions of postage stamps across the world. The original sculpture is on display at the exhibition, alongside Martin Jennings' "characterful" modelling of King Charles III's head from 2023.
Elsewhere, it's interesting to see how Elizabeth II is portrayed differently on banknotes from several Commonwealth countries: she appears "fatter, thinner, older, eyes more sunken or lowered" depending on the country.
Other highlights include Rembrandt's etching "The Goldweigher", with his "fatly bagged coins"; Banksy's "Di-Faced Tenner", in which he replaced the head of Elizabeth II with Princess Diana; and Susan Stockwell's "dramatic" Victorian-style "Money Dress" stitched from banknotes.
The section on attitudes to money reveals a "fascinating" contrast, said Emma Duncan in The Times. While in Eastern art "money is delightful stuff", with countless gods and goddesses shown alongside symbols of wealth, Western artists take their lead from the Bible and portray it as sinful and corrupt.
But the exhibition avoids examining some of the "big questions" that the relationship between money and art inevitably raises. Somewhat "oddly", the Ashmolean – which renamed its Sackler Galleries in 2023 once the "lethal" consequences of the family's opioid-funded fortune became clear – fails to explore the way wealthy people use their money to strengthen their reputations. And the final section on non-fungible tokens "left me completely baffled".
Still, it's an absorbing show and the museum is filled with beautifully displayed treasures. "I'll take any excuse to go," said Duncan.
Money Talks: Art, Society and Power, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford until 5 January 2025
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Irenie Forshaw is a features writer at The Week, covering arts, culture and travel. She began her career in journalism at Leeds University, where she wrote for the student newspaper, The Gryphon, before working at The Guardian and The New Statesman Group. Irenie then became a senior writer at Elite Traveler, where she oversaw The Experts column.
-
July 25 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Friday's political cartoons include MAGA talk show hosts, a Japanese trade deal, and military medals
-
Friendship: 'bromance' comedy starring Paul Rudd and Tim Robinson
The Week Recommends 'Lampooning and embracing' middle-aged male loneliness, this film is 'enjoyable and funny'
-
Could Thailand and Cambodia really go to war?
Today's Big Question Thai leader has warned that recent hostilities over border dispute could lead to all-out conflict
-
Food trails are the best trails. Eat your way across the US with these 7 regional food journeys.
The Week Recommends Take a bite out of the United States
-
Keep the fun going with these 7 subscription gift boxes
The Week Recommends Bring the party to their mailbox
-
Salt Lake City is coolest in summer not winter
The Week Recommends Hang out in the Maven District and bike your way around town
-
Yes, you can be outside this summer and avoid ticks. These are the tips to know.
The Week Recommends Don't get ticked off
-
Pals and loved ones always on the move? These are the gifts to give the constant travelers in your life.
The Week Recommends The best trip is the one that lives on and on
-
The best TV shows based on movies
The Week Recommends A handful of shows avoid derivative storytelling and craft bold narrative expansions
-
Bellagio: glitz and glamour on the Las Vegas Strip
The Week Recommends Find la dolce vita in the Nevada desert at this luxurious hotel
-
At these 6 gnarly spots, both surfers and onlookers can catch a wave
The Week Recommends Be a (sort of) part of the action