!pennysmash-room.JPG Motherbrand proudly presents PennySmash, a project that hijacks the familiar souvenir penny press to produce truly affordable works of art. For just $2.01, visitors to Come Up To My Room 2009 were the first to purchase new work by Douglas Coupland, Marian Bantjes, Burton Kramer and Paul Butler created with a custom-built penny press situated in a fairgrounds inspired environment. Marrying conceptual art and accessible design, PennySmash aims to bring back content and local production – a humble counterpoint to the one-size-fits-all, made-in-China souvenirs of our time. Pressed pennies are unique in the sense that you actually take part in the production process. The memory of this experience forms a genuine connection between the souvenir and the place it was made. John Ryan adds, “We gave the designers complete freedom to respond to the medium and while a couple of the designs explore the concept of memento, none are souvenirs in the traditional sense. Instead, they’ve treated the press as an artistic medium, which is exciting”. The machine was recently added to the permanent collection of the Design Exchange in Toronto. Want to destroy some pennies, head there.
Click to see the pennies and more.

Comments

ElaineMarch 19, 2009
This was by far the best installation at this year’s Come Up To My Room. It was so spectacular it kind of stood out like a sore, but bold and brightly coloured thumb. The Penny Press, the designs (and artists/designers, involved) were amazing and to be honest, rivalled by the wall graphics – tell us more about the wall graphics, please!! More of this, Motherbrand…are we going to see more penny press machines elsewhere?
Miles G.March 19, 2009
I agree with the above comment, this was a great exhibit to stumble upon. The graphics were like a massive Tide bottle, immersing the visitor in an ocean of information, and eye popping colours. The experience was thrilling and fun. Glad that Motherbrand is working with the big wigs like Marian B and Douglas C. I always appreciated that Mother worked with emerging designers, but this relationship seemed to keep some of the projects small. I hope to see more of this caliber of collaboration in the future. Go big Motherbrand, and I will be waiting with my loonies in hand for the next penny smash machine.
Gerry HammondMarch 19, 2009
Yep, good one for sure. When do we get to see it in Vancouver?
Mary WiseMarch 19, 2009
This must have been sick in the flesh, the pictures are popping! What a great concept, looking forward to the next Penny Smashing machines…please let me know when the sets are available for purchase, and if your project is coming to Calgary. Really, really good stuff!
Jean GarneauMarch 20, 2009
Fantastic work you guys, can you drop me a line. I think that I can help get this up to Montreal (if you are interested in that). What a project and what potential. I will follow up through the Motherbrand and Penny Smash sites and emails. Merci!
C. HaneyMarch 20, 2009
Can you post who did the actual graphic design for this work? It is really quite outstanding, and I want to discuss this project in a lecture on Canadian graphic design that I am doing in Tokyo next week…your site was a major inspiration for the lecture, and I will credit it heavily.
Michael ErdmannMarch 21, 2009
John Ryan created the graphics, which were printed by Rollout – <http://www.rollout.ca/>
Peter RogersMarch 14, 2011
Um. The graphics created for this installation are uncomfortably close to something created by cartoonist Chris Ware. That fact left a sort coppery taste in my mouth.
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