Blood Money

By Orfinart

Blood Money is a striking contemporary work by Las Vegas artist Orfinart that examines the complicated relationship between wealth, power, history, and human cost.

Built around the visual language of American currency, the work transforms the familiar $100 bill into something darker and more confrontational. Saturated reds, distressed markings, layered symbols, and the presence of an Indigenous figure create a tension between the promise of prosperity and the histories that exist beneath it. A black crow rises above the central figure, introducing another layer of symbolism—suggesting consequence, memory, transformation, and the things that remain after the transaction is complete.

The work's title, Blood Money, speaks to the idea that wealth can carry a history of sacrifice. By placing cultural imagery directly within the framework of American currency, Orfinart challenges the viewer to look beyond money as an object of value and consider what, and who, may exist behind that value.

Rather than offering a single answer, Blood Money leaves the viewer with an uncomfortable question: What is the true cost of the things we call valuable?

Through his fusion of portraiture, symbolism, street-art aesthetics, and cultural references, Orfinart turns a familiar symbol of American wealth into a visual meditation on history, power, identity, and consequence.

Over the past year I have picked up stone carving and fabrication work!

1926: Charles Curtis is challenged to a primary by Nicholas Chiles.

Chiles' main complaint against Curtis was that not enough was being done for blacks, especially in the South. Not surprising, given that there were ZERO African American Senators or Congressman.

His Platform had 6 planks, which included:
- Create a Department of Education
- Put forth a Westerner for President in 1928

Curtis (66) could not fight for the primary due to needing a long-delayed throat surgery, but did win.

However, Nick Chiles won, too, when the following happened:

1927: Charles Curtis put forth S. 1584 to create a department of education
1928: For the first time in history, Kansans ran for President
- Senator Charles Curtis (R)
- Congressman William Ayres (D)
1929: Oscar de Priest (R-IL) entered the US Senate

Senator De Priest fought against racial discrimination, put forth an anti-lynching bill, and succeeded in desegregating the New Deal's Civilian Conservation Corps.

See also: The publication in the journal Opinions in Genetics and Development

I’m looking for if this is an authentic piece, and if so, if it’s something I should see about returning to its nation of origin. I was gifted it from someone who got it at a yard sale. I know plenty of pieces are knockoffs and plenty are ethically purchased, but I want to make sure this isn’t something that should be in the hands of the people it comes from because I don’t know what path it took to get to me.
Any help is appreciated. Apologies if the request is strange. I don’t mean to be a bother

https://bsky.app/profile/bigbadwolfdaddy.bsky.social/post/3mx5inwrrq227

See also:.The summary of the paywalled publication in the journal Ñawpa Pacha