Mexican Peso:
The goal of this project was to create a currency system that reflects, presents, educates and encourages the understanding of a country’s cultural heritage and representative ethnic background.
Project ········ Currency Design
Medium ········· Print
Published ······ September - December 2022
Language ······· Spanish
Although as a society we may be moving towards a digital currency, it’s still worth considering physical currency and it’s need to advance with the times in order to maintain aesthetic relevancy. Currency highlightings messages that help tell unique stories of cultures or environments. With the redesigning of Mexico’s 20, 100, and 500, peso banknotes, for example this movement from the traditional stern founding fathers or stately monuments are left behind. Instead, the cultural intracacies of Mexico’s history is captured through environmental aspects that live within creatures, food, and places and their connections to one another.
Currency Rationale:
In approaching the design of the currency, immidately the idea was to veer away from what is traditionally used in currency to “depict” culture or history, especially in Mexico. This being the driving factor the main components of the design were derived from my knowldege being of Mexican hertiage and deeper research of Mexican culture. In Mexico, although it is people who have created history, the true roots of Mexican culture lie in the the indigenous and ancient civilizations that lived on the original lands of Mexico. Taking this into consideration, components connected to this main idea were used in the creation of the bills through objects portrayed, color, and pattern. The animals chosen (Jaguar, Quetzal, and Eagle) to be portrayed are of cultural significance to indigenous people and civilizations. For centuries these animals have been depicted in writings and depicted in various forms as they hold deep ties to the peoples of Mexico. The places chosen to be depicted on the backs (Mayan Pyramid, Hierve El Agua, and Bernal) all connect to the animals as they are the regions where they inhabit. In addition, all of these places are natural and/or created from nature by ancient civilizations. The background textures further encompass the culture by adding another layer of staple plants that are used in foods since the beginning of the nation. Finally, the patterns more directly connect to patterns and symbols of indigenous groups of each of these regions depicted on the bills. When chosing color the realtion to the flag was immediate but not without further research to understand its true connection. The colors chosen were easiest to make in the early days of Mexican civilization, the red and green, through plants and natural process. The blue was reserved to the highest bill as though still able to be made, was more difficult and viewed almost as a luxury.
Currency Application:
The purpose of this system was to go beyond stereotypes and misinformation and push towards educating others about the unique personality and rich character of the country chosen for the system.