Robert's functional visual art sculpture, Climate Currency.
Climate Currency™
Every Climate Currency Coin is made from 100% legal and sustainable British Grown Wood. They're designed for use as coasters for home dining tables, kitchens, computer desks and for public situations like cafes, bars and the corporate meeting rooms of our largest companies. The idea is to inspire discussion and debate of this vital topic.
Introducing Climate Currency™
Free exciting design process | Highly personal service | 100% legal & sustainable wood Grown in Britain
Human written website, written by Robert.
Let's talk about their credibility; Climate Currency took part in the worldwide event ' Climate Action and Visual Culture' in 2021 hosted by Huddersfield University.
Dr. Rowan Bailey of Huddersfield University wrote the following interpretation of Climate Currency:
'In relation to data and numeric scales of quantification and statistical change, Robert Lawrence plays with the concept of climate currency in a project with the charity Reforesting Scotland. Lawrence has generated wooden sculptural currency with his use of Scottish grown wood. As eco low carbon alternatives they help us to question the materiality of currency.
The wooden coins are also multipurpose serving as coasters for private dining tables, board rooms, meeting rooms, cafes and restaurants. Strangely they evoke a use and surplus value all in one. They are also part of a re-planting chain, so that with each climate currency coin sold, a tree is planted. Tree planting will begin in 2021, using local tree stakes and environmentally sound tree protection. This includes planting native hardwoods, creating well managed woodlands, with selected species. This is the magical value of the Climate Currency™ project.
The more wooden coins that are bought, and not used as part of an exchange economy, the more trees are planted. This provokes us to think about how currencies might be used to help with the climate agenda in terms of the redistribution and investment of value into material resources.
So, in a way, instead of extraction and depletion, words so commonly used with de-forestation practices, we might start to consider species development and native planting as part of the growing of a new infrastructure for the future. The wooden coins thus serve as ornaments to a cause rather than tools in a surplus engine chain.'
Each Climate Currency™ coin has a carefully chosen phrase to summarise the climate emergency and our reactions to it. To add to their contemporary relevance, there is a phrase to emphasise the popular desire for a kinder post covid society. Each coin is a stand alone article of table art and they're available individually or in a set of four.
Every Climate Currency™ coin is exclusively made from 100% legal and sustainable Scottish grown wood. 'Grown in Britain' certified.
Traditionally, coins have been made from precious metals, but should we not appreciate our precious woods for their true natural value? Climate Currency™ coins are tactile, warm, and can be placed on a computer desk, kitchen worktop, pram, or a car dash board as an aide-memoire.
Facing facts, wooden Climate Currency™ coins are unlikely to be adopted by The Bank of England, and so instead, they're designed for use as coasters for private dining tables, board rooms, meeting rooms, cafes and restaurants, they provoke far reaching thought and inspire contemporary debate and conversation.
The coins are finished with pure bees wax, to mitigate against staining, from time to time, you may like to rub in bees wax, although this is not essential, it's up to you.
Alternatively, untreated versions i.e. Vegan - are available to order.
One day I truly believe Climate Currency will make its mark, but I don't have the marketing budget necessary to draw attention to it.
If you have any ideas as to how to introduce Climate Currency to the greater public, please say hello using the contact form and share your ideas.
