About the Exhibition

Known for his collaborations with global icons like The Weeknd, Cee-Lo, The Avener, and Drake, Mikael Colombu—working under the persona Richard Trixson—offers viewers an intimate encounter with The Old Money Project, his incisive critique on inflation and the decaying value of currency.

Inflation is the greatest financial illusion in American history. Despite diligent savings and financial prudence, Americans face the unsettling reality that prices continue to soar as the Federal Reserve prints more money. Mikael's The Old Money Project is a bold artistic response to this economic phenomenon, shining a critical spotlight on the financial manipulation that impacts everyone. The project reimagines devalued currency as both an art form and a cautionary symbol of economic negligence.

Through characters like presidents Xesserson and Lardazenas, Mikael satirizes the fluid identities of politicians and their opportunistic exploitation of cultural motifs for political gain. The artwork uses discarded, nearly worthless currency, such as the 0.2 USD and 0.0001 Peso notes, to illustrate the fleeting essence of value and the political forces that shape it.

What sets Mikael apart is his reverence for the history embedded in each piece of currency. The bills—marked with stains, doodles, and tears—are transformed into a canvas that reflects the journey of money through time and human hands. They are not just artifacts of financial transactions but relics that tell stories of defiance, neglect, and the wear of time. Each piece in The Old Money Project invites viewers to consider the social and cultural narratives tied to our relationship with money.

Mikael's signature style, dubbed “Jankyvision,” which first gained international attention in The Weeknd’s "The Knowing" video, is on full display in The Old Money Project. This off-kilter realism offers a theatrical perspective on modern finance and politics, pulling viewers into an uncomfortable yet compelling dialogue on the performance of power.

The next installment of this exhibition series will offer the opportunity to engage with Mikael's work both in the digital and physical worlds, sparking conversations on money’s role in society, the performance of politics, and the fragile nature of value.