A rebel Web project.

Making money may be considered an art. But making the euro -- the new unit of Continental currency -- has been artless. That is the premise of Coin ­ Note ­ Sign, a rebel Web project that calls on international artists to design their own versions of the euro. Officially adopted by 11 European countries in January, the euro is used only for electronic transactions. The actual currency will not be distributed until 1 January 2002. Which is to say that the euro remains a virtual currency, according to C. Byrne, an Edinburgh, Scotland, artist who organized the project. Part art, partly a prank to satirize the ephemeral quality of the new money, the project is soliciting electronic submissions of alternative euro designs. Come mid-March, 11 winners will be selected and laser printed for display at the upcoming Internet Art Festival x-99 in Lorient, France. The official euro designs were the result of a competition and public-opinion poll held in February 1996 by the European Monetary Institute (EMI). R. Kalina, a designer with the Austrian Center Bank, won the contest with a series of images that symbolize Europe_s architectural heritage without representing specific monuments. The images are meant to express openness, communication, and cooperation, the EMI said. "The rhetoric is fairly clear.... A side effect of this neutrality is also to mask the terrible histories of national conflict in Europe, which the EU and especially the euro are supposed to help prevent happening again" Byrne said. At least one of the alt-euros that has been submitted for project evokes this theme. French artist G. Cliquet submitted a 10 euro note that depicts prisoners in a World War II concentration camp. Other artists have taken a cheekier approach. A 50 euro bill designed by Australian Nick Ritar sports a McDonald_s logo on one side and Coca-Cola_s on the other…