Boggs - A Comedy of Values

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J.S.G. Boggs* is an artist whose work has often revolved around money. His best known works are hand-drawn replicas of bills which he will try to exchange for goods valued below the face value of the bill and get change for his pains--the change from the bill, the receipt, and the goods then become the work that he will sell to a dealer or collector. Because his work sorta kinda involves forgery and/or counterfeiting, is work has occasionally gotten him governmental attention, both in the US and the UK.

This slim book is expanded from a magazine profile of Boggs. There's some interesting stuff here about process as art, and some overwrought stuff about the nature of money, and some dialog that drove me crazy. I'm guessing one of two things is true: either Weschler designates as quotes things that are actually paraphrased through his own stilted style, or everyone who spoke to him really does speak in the same awkward way. So there's that.

FuzzyCo grade: B-

* Doesn't that sound like a made-up name for a mad steampunk genius?