When I first launched The ROBIN™ Currency, I did not use the word “White Paper”, as it later became popular to describe the functioning of a coin or token. Nevertheless the currency’s first public presentation was accompanied by an explanatory text, bearing the title:

The ROBIN™ Currency

ROBIN BHATTACHARYA

Artist statement:

Money has only so much value as we give to it. We trust that the coin or note is universally seen as the representation of the value printed on it. This is the case with any currency: We believe the national banks that they stand for the value of the money, to that extent, in which we execute transactions in that currency. 

On the British Pound the Queen writes: ‘I promise the bearer on demand the sum of… (value of the note)’. She promises us in exchange for the note, on demand, the sum that is stated on the note. As the value of money is no longer bound to that of gold, the note represents the representation of a value and is therefore a promise of a promise, in which we all believe.

Originally coming from video art, Robin Bhattacharya has been working in the field of immaterial art ever since the series of events collide/COLLABO (London, 2006), often as part of the research network Critical Practice (London, since 2005). 

Critical Practice tries to apply Open-Source methodologies to the production of art and part of its aims are to always understand the specific context, critically reflect on it and make it publicly accessible. In workshops and talks, with a game (The Value Game, South London Gallery, 2007) or by re-arranging chairs and changing the dynamics of discussions (Systems Art, Whitechapel Gallery, London, 2007), the public is stimulated to critically engage with the environment they are in. 

Robin Bhattacharya also worked with the M6DIII-network on a multi-authored-contract, which makes visible the diversity of the voices involved (Abschlussball, Berlin, 2007) and a book project (Off Season, Cyprus, 2007). 

Lately he participated in unitednationsplaza Mexico D.F. (Mexico City, 2008) and Disclosures (Gasworks, London, 2008)

As the work of Robin Bhattacharya usually consists in making possible an experience, which, though free for all participants, is still restricted by time and space, The ROBIN™ Currency is a rare opportunity to materially invest in the value of the artist.

For the context of Art Basel Robin Bhattacharya created The ROBIN™ Currency, which makes visible how a certain value is transferred from money into art.

The ROBIN™ Currency is based on prime numbers, whereby each note represents one prime number and exists only once. There can be printed an infinite number, but the amount on the notes always increases, which makes the lowest numbers the rarest and therefore the most valuable.  

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