Amidst the tumultuous banking crisis of 2009, artist Piet Van was driven to visualize the incomprehensible. He sought to unravel the question of what exactly one billion euros or dollars looks like, as the media inundated us with reports of massive financial losses by banks. With his innovative soft sculptures known as "Sit on Millions," which double as functional benches, Piet Van embarked on a creative journey inspired by the banking crisis.

In a remarkable display of artistic expression, Piet Van unveiled his piece titled "The Loss of Fortis Bank - €22,300,000,000" at the renowned Kouter in Ghent. Taking it a step further, his sculptures invite individuals to physically sit on representations of 20 million, 40 million, 100 million, or 250 million euros, symbolically regenerating the losses and transforming them into something positive.

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Building upon his previous art project centered around letters and seating, Piet Van leveraged the backdrop of the banking crisis to refine his technique in crafting these soft sculptures. While in his prior project he personally painted the furniture, for the "Sit on Millions" endeavor, he embraced the use of printed elements on the sculptures, achieving the desired visual outcome.

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Through this artistic exploration, Piet Van invites viewers to engage with the complexities of financial crises and contemplate the transformative power of art in reshaping perspectives and narratives surrounding wealth and loss.