#23 Bank of Albion £23 'Bapu' note by MBG, Digital print on paper, Second note AA01 000002 from a run of 1000. 15 x 8 cm

Digital print with gold and silver leaf emboss on paper (149 x 80 mm) by MBG. 

[Note: images are of note AA01 000001 - You are buying AA01 000002]

Serial Number AA01 000002 of a limited run of 1000 notes. The first 23 notes created will be produced as special editions. This is a unique chance to own the second note of the entire run. This special note will be distinguished in its design from the other 21 of the other 22 special edition notes. Only notes AA01 000001 and  AA01 000002 will be hand embossed with gold and silver foil. 

In a variation of the Eastern tradition of 'Hell Money' Church of Burn will purchase the entire production of '£23 Bapu' notes from MBG. Note no's 24 to 1000 will be sold at face value (i.e. £23 pounds sterling) to attendees of Church of Burn and will remain a Fully-Fungiable Token* - in other words, Church of Burn will buy them back at any time at face value or accept them in payment for goods. Most importantly, Bank of Albion notes can be used as a 'Burn Currency' and sacrificed alongside 'real' money at the Altar. 

Artist's Statement

The Bank of Albion note started life as a shared dream. Around the time of the first Brexit date a dozen of us set an intent to discover what a Bank of Albion banknote would look like. The Brexit date became a moving target but our dreams eventually revealed what would become the key themes of the note. 

Bapu (who appears on the front of the note) was hospitalised and fell into a coma on the day of the last Church of Burn - 8th Dec 2019. He died a month later. I spoke to his friends and family about the idea of creating a note to honour him. They approved and provided images and further clues as to what should be included in the design of the note. 

I was lucky enough to be witness to - and the subject of - Bapu's legendary mystical powers which tend to confound even the most skeptical people. The first time I met him he took my birth details and quickly told me 'You have a Staff. It's your backbone." These are the lines that appear underneath him on the note and no-one has ever said a truer word to me. 

The reverse of the note bears the following lines from William Blake. 'All Religions are One" "For all eternity, I forgive you and you forgive me" and "Another flower shall spring, because the soul of sweet delight can never pass away." I chose them because together they say something  profound about money & death (and also forgiveness and life). "

*Please note: Bank of Albion notes are sold as an artwork NOT a financial instrument.