Saatchi Gallery Launch for Leading Chiswick Artists

Bob Osborne and Carrie Reichardt feature in exhibition of artistically defaced money

Leading Chiswick artists Bob Osborne and Carrie Reichardt have been invited to launch their latest book Cash is King-The Art of Defaced Banknotes at the prestigious Saatchi Gallery on 30 August.

The book launch will be accompanied by an exhibition of artistically defaced money by Bob Osborne, Carrie Reichardt and a host of other international artists from all over the world. The show is open free to the public from 31 August – 8 September and then as part of the British Art Fair from 9-23 September.

In the late 18th century the death penalty was applied for forgery or altering a bank note. The advent of low denomination notes meant that paper money was no longer exclusively used by the elite and the amount of cases rose.

Old Bailey trial records show that, between 1804 and 1834, 58 people were hung for counterfeiting offences with many times that transported to Australia for possession of illegal bank notes. With low levels of literacy many of these people may have been unaware they were carrying outlaw cash.

It continues to be an offence to deface any Bank of England note under the terms of the 1928 British Currency and Banknotes Act.

The newly published limited edition book is available from the online shop at www.rebelnottaken.com or from the Saatchi Gallery at the Duke of Yorks HQ in Chelsea.

August 18, 2018