185,000,000,000 dollars.

The fortune of Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon and owner of The Washington Post.
 

185 cubic meters.

An orange space 9 meters long, 6 meters wide, and 3.42 meters high. A space of 185 m³, just as big as Bezos’s $185 billion fortune. The small orange cube, measuring 1 by 1 by 1 cm that you hold in your hand, represents $1,000.
 

Step into this space of extreme wealth. 

This installation, Wealth Shown to Scale, puts the absurd inequality into perspective. Experience a space as vast as the fortune of one of the world's richest individuals. This installation is not about the rich, but the ultra-rich. An invitation to reflect on the distribution of wealth. 
 
An invitation to reflect on the distribution of wealth.
 

KUNSTRAI AMSTERDAM (première)
APRIL 30 - MAY 4, 2025
ENTRANCE VIA STAND 8

 

To make this installation possible, we need:

  • 150 m2 of orange fabric for the walls
  • 54 m2 of orange carpeting
  • 24 spotlights
  • Materials for the blocks
  • Paint and text transfers
  • Transportation
  • And a pot of coffee for the whole team

WHY?

Ultra-wealth has gained so much influence that it seems to be disrupting our democratic societies. Therefore, we want to create this (internationally) traveling art installation.

Will you help?


 



VISION

This installation is not about the wealthy giving a fair share back to society (via taxes). It is about all the ultra-wealthy who pay hardly any taxes and thus give nothing back to society. Ultra-wealthy individuals have now siphoned off $21,000 trillion ($21,000,000,000,000,000), as much money as the total economies of both the United States and Japan combined. (Source: Tax Justice Network). Money that, if it had been in society, would have been used to fund healthcare, education, infrastructure, and social security. The art installation "Wealth Shown to Scale" makes inequality visible and confronts visitors with the extreme differences in wealth. The goal is to create a physical experience, increase awareness, and spark societal debate on economic justice and the distribution of resources.

SIGNAL

The color orange plays an important role as a warning. The chosen form—a gigantic space visualizing wealth, opposite a minimal orange block of 1 × 1 × 1 centimeter that represents $1,000—emphasizes inequality.

WHO WE ARE

Esther Koch, Hans Bos, and Joost Habing with allies including Anton, Constant, Susanne, Hedwig, Robin, Jade, Juliëtte, Chantal, Tycho, and a large group of independent thinkers, designers, and doers from the Netherlands.


 

Email us for information: info@kochxbos.com