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Surrealist painter, Connie Rose, discusses her interactive installation, Money Tree, and her experiment, Golden Money Balloons. The artist studied people’s reactions when offered free money and linked their view of money with their outlook on life. Continue reading
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Banham Road, UK, Jan 30, 2020 /prREACH/ -- Surrealist painter, Connie Rose, talks about the rationale behind her social experiment art installation, Money Tree. "My intention behind the Money Exhibit and social experiments is to open people up to the intrinsic knowledge that abundance comes from within. I want people to see money as neutral energy that can be used for good; I want to encourage giving and receiving freely and feeling positive about money. I have found that the type of relationship someone has towards money is frequently replicated in other areas of their life. Change your relationship to money, change your life."
Money Tree was first installed in Central Park in October 2019. Real money was attached to the branches of a tree in the park and passersby were allowed to take money as they wished. Rose said, "It was liberating to give away money like that, and I loved experiencing the public's reaction, which wasn't as I predicted."
She was surprised to find that most people wouldn't take the money, even when they weren't being watched. The artist continues, "Occasionally, I would say 'you are welcome to take some money,' and the most common reaction was 'oh no.' Children were the most eager to take the money, perhaps due to their inherent feeling of possibility."
A Money Tree film was made to document the experiment and a Money Tree was also installed for Miami Art Basel 2019. Future installations are confirmed for London, Thailand and Tokyo. Rose is curious to see how location and culture affect the outcome. "I am also going to see how placing just a few notes on a tree affects the rate at which people feel they want to take them."
For Golden Money Balloons, Rose walked through Times Square giving away golden money envelopes to anyone who seemed open to receiving them. "I shouted 'free money, no catch;' only a few people were trusting enough to receive the money. This is transferable to life — only those who expected to receive good things did." Rose then let off 100 golden balloons from an NYC rooftop, each balloon carrying golden envelopes containing cash and questions about one's relationship with money. "It was exhilarating to let go so poetically, and I'm excited for anyone to find a Golden Money Balloon," she said.
Connie Rose Art exhibitions are featured in art galleries worldwide and focus on abstract surrealism and portraiture.
For anyone interested in Connie Rose Art or wanting to learn more about her social experimental art installations, please visit her official website.
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