As part of Marfa Dialogues / St. Louis this summer, the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (CAM) hosted The Art of Engagement, a panel discussion that brought artists Mel Chin and Mary Miss together in conversation with Hamilton Fish of The Public Concern Foundation to consider the ongoing relationship between culture, artistic intervention, and social values. Chin spoke particularly to his practice of bringing civically-minded programs to the cities in which he exhibits his work. During this discussion, he announced that he would bring the Fundred Dollar Bill Project to St. Louis with the opening of his exhibition Mel Chin: Rematch at CAM on September 5, 2014.
Chin’s Fundred Dollar Bill Projectis a campaign to rid communities of lead poisoning by advancing education around the harmful effects of lead. He promotes awareness through the creation and collection of a special currency—original, hand-drawn hundred dollar bills that Chin calls Fundreds. This creative, draw-by-number craft invites participants to express their hopes for their city and future. Once complete, each drawing is submitted to a collection of Fundreds, representing the participant’s voice in a national problem. When the collection of Fundreds reaches 3,000,000, the bills will be brought to the U.S. Congress with a request for real funding to make U.S. cities free of lead poisoning.
With Rematch currently on view at CAM, St. Louisians have the opportunity to help reach the goal of ridding communities of lead poisoning nationwide. Visit CAM during open hours to draw your own Fundred dollar bill and experience first-hand the impact the arts can have on shaping communities. To learn more about the Fundred Dollar Bill Project, and for CAM’s visiting hours, go to camstl.org.