Riis, who is one of the foremost fiber artists using the tapestry technique today, incorporates the form of a simple coat to express his ideas in his work. The lavishly decorated coats are often opened up to reveal an interior surprise.

Riis addresses social and political issues, and Greed is one of the most powerful and controversial in the coat series. An elegant camouflage exterior opens to an apparently blood-soaked interior. An image of a $100 bill is masterfully woven in the interior and is surrounded by the Swarovski crystals. Five dollar signs in red are dispersed throughout the camouflage pattern.