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| 5 Huesos - Banco de Huesos Currency Détournement, Charles B. Jones. c. 1994 |
Towards the end of his life, Charles B. Jones was fascinated by the idea of détournements. He described these as “appropriations of established images and symbols of authenticity re-purposed for play - especially, philosophical play.”
Completed in the mid-1990s, these currency détournements represent some of the earliest, but most sophisticated, works in the Digital Archives. Unlike the Stamp Series, these were never meant to be used as any form of currency, but to function as a form of agit-prop - perhaps even as stand-alone works of art.
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| 500 Bones for the King of Death Currency Détournement, Charles B. Jones. c. 1994 |
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| 1 Bone - Treasury of the Final Reckoning Currency Détournement, Charles B. Jones. c. 1994 |
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| 1000 Bones - Paid Upon Death Currency Détournement, Charles B. Jones. c. 1994 |
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| Ten Immaculate Bones - National Bank of the Final Reckoning Currency Détournement, Charles B. Jones. c. 1994 |
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| 500 Bones - The One True Treasury Currency Détournement, Charles B. Jones. c. 1994 |
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| 500 Bones - The Republic of Bones Currency Détournement, Charles B. Jones. c. 1994 |
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| 20 Skulls - Skulls Cerificate Currency Détournement, Charles B. Jones. c. 1994 |
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| 20 Skulls - The United States of Death Currency Détournement, Charles B. Jones. c. 1994 |
Biographical Note
Charles “Bonesy” Jones (August 6, 1945 to November 15, 2005) was an American graphic artist, writer and poet. Reputedly born in Little Hope, Texas, much of his early life is unknown.
In 1962, Jones was graduated from the Steiner College of Ontological Osteology. From 1965 until 1972 he lived in an international art colony north of Abiquiu, New Mexico, working as a abstract painter and a poet, receiving some money from his family. There, he carried out anthropological research with the Penetintes and was involved in several controversial crucifixions. In 1973, he traveled to Mt. Athos in Greece where he studied the teachings of Theophan the Recluse under the guidance of Archimandrite George, Abbot of Holy Monastery of St. Gregorious. He returned to the United States in 1983, settling in Austin, Texas, operating a small bookstore near the University for many years.
Just after the first of the year of 2005, Jones was struck by a car while riding his bike. He suffered extensive head injuries. Shortly after, he began to experience selective retrograde amnesia and a progressive anomic aphasia (grammatic, but empty, speech). In October of that year, realizing he did not have long to live, he asked me to assist him in the journey back to his “spiritual home.” He died beside the fire under the full moon of November 15th in the hills above the Chama River in New Mexico, not far from the Monastery of Christ in the Desert.
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