El Camino de la Lana – Une exploración de peso del peso, March 2022

For 20 days, German theatre maker Peter Stamer and Mexican visual artist Ilya Noé followed a 20 peso bill on its way through Mexico in order to meet and get to know the people who make use of that money. We began our journey at Monte Albán, Oaxaca, which illustrates the reverse of the lowest denomination banknote currently in circulation. Once positioned at the exact vantage point depicted, we looked for a nearby shop or a street vendor from which we could buy something with those twenty pesos. By handing over the banknote we also handed ourselves over to the new owner. Our pledge: to remain as close as possible to that particular bill for a total of one week.

Equipped with video cameras and sound recording devices we followed not only the pesos, but the life paths of the person(s) in possession of them. If/when the holder decided to spend the bill, we were transferred along with the note to the next owner. The bill thus operated like a chance operator driving us towards strangers and through uncharted territories in an “econographic” game with the potential to render micro-economies and their stories visible.

The full documentary of the travel is currently in production.