Turning Money into Botanical Sculptures Written by Ronan

Sadly, money doesn’t grow on trees. But that doesn’t mean it can’t become trees – or plants, at least – via the transformative process known as paper craft.

That’s what we’ve learnt from looking at Justine Smith’s artwork. The London artist, who turns banknotes into intricate plant lookalikes, creates a grey dividing line between cold, hard cash and warm, soft life: set within glass domes, the “plants” are surrounded by actual insects, moss and lichen.

At first glance, the pieces look like Victorian-era dioramas. But peer closer and the botanical sculptures reveal their monetary origins, with familiar watermarking and noble faces just visible in the surface of her leaves and flowers.

To see the entire series, head over the Justine Smith’s website.