Jordyn Stewart’s ​Landscape Study III [pocket change]​ is a five minute video where she continuously tosses a collection of pennies into a virtual stream. Relating to both the mythological act of tossing coins into water as a mode of wish making and the actions futility. The stream has been superimposed onto chroma keyed fabric on the ground and as the coins are tossed, instead of submerging, the pennies bounce and deflect off the ground’s surface. Although the penny was removed from circulation in 2015, for many, the penny has an embedded sense of mythological luck, which is influenced by the familiar saying: “Find a penny, pick it up, then all day you’ll have good luck.” The mass-produced penny makes its way into the intimacy of peoples hands, pockets, and box of souvenirs.
The video work is void from this marvelling essence that comes with the action of tossing a coin into water, the removal of this desire speaks to the artificiality of nostalgia that is embedded in the penny. The leaf functions symbolically as a depiction of Canada, while evoking a false sense of longing, a nostalgic, political ploy.