Explore a special exhibition of artworks by Canadian artist Ho Tam, inspired by the symbols found on money.
Ho Tam takes images from international bank notes and remixes them into new scenes, creating new meanings and new stories. Tam encourages us to rethink the meanings of the stories told on our bank notes with striking colour and unexpected combinations of many nations’ iconic imagery.
About the artist
Ho Tam is a Canadian mixed media artist living and working in Vancouver, BC. He was born in Hong Kong and studied at McMaster University and Bard College, New York.
Audio descriptions of the artworks
Accompanying this exhibition are audio descriptions of the exhibit space and the individual artworks. They are each between two and three minutes long. Click on any one to begin.
Want to listen to all the descriptions on your own device? Download the audio file.
Introduction to the exhibit and exhibition space
Source: the Bank of Canada Museum
“The Greatest Stories Ever Told” exhibition—a visual description
The artworks
Source: © Ho Tam, “The Ho-Lee Family,” inkjet print, Canada, 2022 | 2023.19.2
“The Ho-Lee Family” by Ho Tam—a visual description
Source: © Ho Tam, “The Twelve Wandering Sisters,” inkjet print, Canada, 2022 | 2023.19.3
“The Twelve Wandering Sisters” by Ho Tam—a visual description
Source: © Ho Tam, “The X-Birds,” inkjet print, Canada, 2022 | 2023.19.4
“The X-Birds” by Ho Tam—a visual description
Source: © Ho Tam, “The Hanging Garden,” inkjet print, Canada, 2022 | 2023.19.6
“The Hanging Garden” by Ho Tam—a visual description
In Ho Tam’s story, a city is created by people building homes and community—together. But they soon lose sight of what matters, and greed takes over.
Source: City Planting, inkjet print, 2022 © Ho Tam | 2023.19.2
“City Planting” by Ho Tam—a visual description
