Kahn/Selesnick

Currency Birds, 2007

Archival Inkjet Print

Ed. of 10 + 3AP

10 x 72 inches

Currency Balloon, 2007

Archival Inkjet Print

Ed. of 10 + 3AP

10 x 72 inches

KS 67

The Survivor, 2007

Archival Inkjet Print

Ed. of 10 + 3AP

10 x 72 inches

KS 64

Card Game, 2007

Archival Inkjet Print

Ed. of 10 + 3AP

10 x 72 inches

KS 63

Snake Boat, 2007

Archival Inkjet Print

Ed. of 10 + 3AP

10 x 72 inches

KS 62

Bird Man

digital inkjet print

28 x 28 inches

Die Geschicte Eisbergfreistadt / The Story of Eisbergfreistadt.  54 x 54 inch grid of 25 archival inkjet prints.  2007.  Edition of 10

De Geschichte Von Eisbergfreistadt

Eisbergfreistadt

In 1923 a huge iceberg drifted into the Baltic sea and ran aground off the German port of Lübeck. The strength of the polar easterlies that year caused a number of bergs to drift unusually far south on the Spitsbergen current. Sea ice was seen in Bergen and parts of northern Scotland. Some German scientists postulated that the heat from factory smoke may have caused abnormally high break up of the arctic ice pack. The burghers of Lübeck declared the iceberg to be a free trade area under the name “Eisbergfreistadt” (Iceberg Free State). It was hoped that the iceberg might become an offshore banking haven. Notgeld were issued as marks but tied to financial futures and currency arbitrage. Some municipalities such as Bremen and Lübeck attempted to tie their own notgeld to Eisbergfreistadt’s by overprinting and stamping their own banknotes, but this “Eisberggeld” fared no better than the mark during the height of hyperinflation.  

Despite the failure of Eisbergfreistadt to take hold as a viable financial institution, it did nonetheless capture the public imagination of the time. Many people traveled to Lübeck to view the berg – it was even possible to travel to the iceberg by zeppelin. Many souvenirs were created, including playing cards, serving sets, songs, etc. It was painted by a number of prominent artists, but most significantly became a major source of fascination to the utopian movement known as the Crystal Chain. 

Founded by the artist and architect Bruno Taut, the Crystal Chain was a correspondence formed between the leading proponents of expressionist architecture in Germany, including Walter Gropius and Wenzel Hablik. The group was fascinated with the architectural possibilities inherent in crystalline structures and glass. When the giant iceberg washed ashore, the group seized upon it, designing utopian cities made of ice and issuing manifestos on behalf of its imaginary socialist government in absentia. Ironically, many of the group’s drawings were used on notgeld, Hablik in particular contributing some fine designs. 

To celebrate the founding of the Eisbergfreistadt bank, a large masked ball was held on the iceberg in the autumn of 1923. Many attendees came dressed as polar animals and explorers, although a contingent led by Wenzel Hablik arrived dressed as pigs and rats. Unfortunately, the combined weight of the revelers caused the berg to split into two pieces. One of these eventually collapsed and melted, causing considerable damage to Lübeck’s industrial zone; the other drifted back out into the Baltic, where it was swept back to the arctic by the Norwegian current. Those unfortunate enough to be stranded on the latter were the subject of numerous search and rescue missions. Hablik was among them, and was eventually rescued near the arctic circle.

 In retrospect, the iceberg seems merely the precursor to the greater apocalypse to befall the town of Lübeck: in 1942 it became the first German city to be attacked by the Royal Air Force - the resulting firestorm almost completely obliterated the old town. After the war’s end, the historic district was rebuilt and declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. As such, the history of Lübeck seems particularly relevant to our contemporary anxieties, and we ignore its lessons at our peril.

Notgeld

Notgeld first appeared during the World War 1 as a response to small change shortages. Due to the war effort’s ever growing need for metal, new coins could not be minted and the value of those coins that were left in circulation exceeded their denomination, causing institutions to hoard them.

This massive shortage forced local municipalities to produce large quantities of small denomination banknotes for local merchants and businesses. These “notgeld” (literally “emergency money”) were not legal tender, but rather a mutually accepted form of payment. In addition to paper, notgeld was also printed on silk, leather, linen, foil, porcelain, playing cards, and even coal.

 Due to their bright colours and unusual designs, notgeld proved to be popular as collector’s items and so continued to be produced even after the war’s end – like stamps, they often traded at higher than face value and so proved a good business for the towns producing them.

 In 1922, the value of the mark started to deteriorate due to inflation caused by Germany’s reparations to the victorious countries after the war’s end. The central bank was forced to constantly reissue banknotes in ever rising denominations – first hundreds, then thousands, then hundreds of thousands, and finally millions and even billions. With the central bank unable to physically issue enough money, notgeld were again produced in enormous quantities. Most were issued as marks, but some were tied to commodities or other currencies, such as the US dollar.

 During the height of hyperinflation, notgeld became essentially worthless as money and so came to be used for other purposes, such as fuel, wallpaper, and fabric.

De Geschichte Von Eisbergfreistadt for more information