Paper money design
as a special form of graphic design

Hồ Trọng Minh, Vietnam Numismatics #2 (01-2018), p.41-46

Vietnam Numismatics:

We have received the research article "Approaches to Studying Vietnamese Paper Money as an Artistic Object" by artist, M.A. Hồ Trọng Minh. A deep and multidimensional article that presents an artistic perspective on paper money, clearly defining the genre of banknote art, as well as the influence of the historical period and artists on Vietnamese banknote art. With the author's permission, we would like to publish the section "Paper Money Design as a Special Form of Graphic Design" for our readers.

The author worked for 10 years at the Banknote Design Department of the State Bank of Vietnam, where he directly designed several notes for the current polymer series. He is currently working at the Vietnam University of Fine Arts and is a doctoral candidate in Art Theory and History, having completed his preliminary dissertation defense at the Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts Studies. Research Topic: Fine Arts on Vietnamese Banknotes, 1946-2006.

Paper money is familiar to everyone. While most focus on the monetary function of banknotes, they are rarely viewed as works of art, despite containing every essential element of graphic design. In fact, banknotes are artistic products, created through artistic feeling, careful observation, and the skillful human hands. In the age of new technology, especially digital technology, people have created many new forms of art, but the nature of art itself has not changed.

The term The Art of Money (primarily referring to banknotes) exists worldwide, covering the themes found on banknotes as well as printing methods. The most notable book at present is The Art of Money by David Standish, written in 2000, which laid the foundation for viewing banknotes as works of art.

In 2002, in the proceedings of the Applied Graphics Conference, Mr. Vũ Đình Nhâm, then Head of the Applied Art Research Department at the Institute of Fine Arts, Vietnam University of Fine Arts, in the outline of the Vietnam Applied Graphics Conference, mentioned banknotes as a subject of study in applied graphics. Also at this conference, artist Lê Huy Tiếp referred to banknotes as a product of applied graphic design, although he did not provide proof at the time. Researcher Lê Thị Hoài Linh also mentioned at the conference that "In 1396, Hồ Quý Ly ordered the printing of paper money decorated with the Four Sacred Animals (dragon, phoenix, qilin, and turtle), clouds, and waves. To produce a large quantity of money, carved printing blocks may have been used, following graphic printing techniques".

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