Collection: Heather J. A. Thomson

Beyond Statistics: The Artifacts of Inflation continues Heather J. A. Thomson’s visual and historical research into the German Papiermark, a currency that was notoriously volatile following World War I. Thomson feels discussions on hyperinflation Germany focus on statistics and disregard the physicality of currency. For Thomson the banknotes embody complexities of the inflation period and she strives to highlight their physicality through magnification, focusing on the intricate designs she considers beautiful. She invites the viewer to observe minute details and presents Papiermarks as art objects with stories to tell, moving them beyond statistical value.