Penny Bricks
Penny Bricks
Stacey Lee Webber
Penny Bricks
17” x 17”
pennies enameled with transparent glass to resemble a brick wall
2023
In Penny Bricks, Stacey Lee Webber transforms the humble U.S. penny into a striking visual metaphor for structure and transformation. Using only the Lincoln Memorial from the back of the coin, Webber carefully punches out and arranges the pieces, sifting powdered glass enamel over them to create a rich brick-like pattern. Rather than bricks forming a building, this piece inverts the concept—turning blocks into bricks themselves. The result is a shimmering, copper-hued surface that challenges perceptions of material value, labor, and the foundations of American identity. By repurposing currency into an illusion of construction, Penny Bricks invites viewers to reflect on the relationship between money, power, and the structures that shape our world.