"Inflation" - Drowning in Paper, Floating on Privilege
On a sea of paper money, one person floats comfortably while another drowns. This isn't a distant fantasy; it's the daily reality of inflation, and it's the scene depicted in our latest art installation, now live on a CaixaBank wall in Barcelona.
The Intel: The Two Sides of Inflation
Inflation is often described as a gentle rise in prices, but this is a dangerous understatement. It is a violent and invisible transfer of wealth. Our artwork, "Inflation," makes this process visible by showing the two characters involved:
- The Floater (The Monopoly Man): He represents the individuals, corporations, and governments closest to the money printer. When new money is created, they get it first. They can spend it or invest it before prices have adjusted upwards. They literally "float" on this wave of new liquidity, watching their assets inflate while they sip a cocktail.
- The Drowner (The Saver): This represents the average person—the wage earner, the retiree, the diligent saver. By the time the new money "trickles down" to them, prices for groceries, gas, and housing have already risen. The value of their salary and their life's savings has been diluted. They are drowning in a currency that is losing its purchasing power.
This phenomenon is known as the Cantillon Effect. The artwork is a stark depiction of its consequences: a system that systematically benefits the well-connected at the expense of everyone else.
This piece is a public service announcement. Inflation is not a victimless crime. Bitcoin, with its fixed and predictable supply of 21 million, is the life raft.
The "Inflation" art piece is part of the "Bank Roll" series, available for free download. Start the conversation.
