Modern Art: Someone please explain

ckissick · 06-22-2007, 12:29 PM

An artist, Damien Hirst, just sold a medicine chest with pills on the shelves (called Lullaby Spring) for $19.1 million. It's a big steel cabinet with lots or mirrored shelves, and 6000 colorful little pills on the shelves. That's $3,183.33 per pill. I don't get it.

Superman · 06-22-2007, 12:36 PM

I was once viewing some modern art with my sister, who is something of an artist. The painting looked like it could have been painted by a monkey. I told her that I fail to grasp why paint that has been splashed onto a canvas can be hailed as "art." I further said I generally evaluate art in terms of its resemblance to reality. If an artist can paint a painting that looks nearly like a photograph, then I conclude they must be a good painter.

She said my problem is that I viewed art with my head instead of my heart. She said art's value is in how it makes you feel when you view it. Since that day I have used the yardstick she suggested, and it has helped me appreciate art much more.

On the other hand, this story does little to explain why a yard sale item with pills glued onto it might be worth more than $19m.

craigster59 · craigster59's Garage

So I take it I can't interest you in a Mark Rothko painting for 72.9 million?

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

That's probably less than what some of the pharmaceutical companies would charge for the same pills. Here of course. In Canada they'd run five bucks a pop.

Of course, the obscene overpricing could be the point of the art exhibit - a commentary on how ridiculous it all is. Dunno.

K. Roman · K. Roman's Garage

22 million right here!

BTW, I'd suggest taking an art history class, that may at least give you an understanding of why not all art has to do with painting a purty picture.

Joeaksa · 06-22-2007, 01:49 PM

Mom was an artist. Did not understand a lot of her work either but people sure bought it.

nota · 06-22-2007, 02:28 PM

family member's art web site

http://www.parnasse.com/net.in.arcadia.html

NEO-Classical with some abstract stuff too

teenerted1 · 02:32 PM

my aunt just retired from her pretty successful art career last fall. tired of the gallery deadlines i guess, will continue for joy not profit.

but i like the answer found below

How about a joke thread?
A couple attending an art exhibition at the National Gallery were staring at a portrait that had them completely confused.
The painting depicted three very black and totally naked men sitting on a park bench. Two of the figures had black weenies, but the one in the middle had a pink weenie. The curator of the gallery realized that they were having trouble interpreting the painting and offered his assessment. He went on for nearly half an hour explaining how it depicted the sexual emasculation of African-Americans in a predominately white, patriarchal society. "In fact," he pointed out, "some serious critics believe that the pink weenie also reflects the cultural and sociological oppression experienced by gay men in contemporary society."
After the curator left, a young man in a Kentucky T-shirt approached the couple and said, "Would you like to know what the painting is really about?"
"Now why would you claim to be more of an expert than the curator of the gallery?" asked the couple.
"Because I'm the guy who painted it," he replied.

"In fact, there are no African-Americans depicted at all. They're just three Kentucky coal miners, and the guy in the middle went home for lunch."
__________________
donny

TimothyFarrar · 06-22-2007, 03:04 PM

From the perspective of someone who is tring to make a living on art (photography), people purchase art because of the way it makes them feel, and it is all about presentation. Sure some modern art might look like crap say if you saw it in laying alone in an alley somewhere, but when you place a 1M price tag on it in a high end gallery with the previous history that the artist has sold other works of "high value" then it turns to gold. Expensive art is an investment (and perhaps just purchased with disposable income).

dd74 · 06-22-2007, 03:28 PM

Timothy hit it on the head - particularly the disposable income part.

Do you guys know where a lot of the art bought in the U.S. is sold? On cruise ships where disposable income is plentiful - so is alcohol and relaxed demeanors. You should see the drunk suckers bidding on $5K paintings!

Off topic - Tim - looked at your sig. What's your daily driver like with straight cut gears? Isn't it too loud?

competentone · 06-22-2007, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Wayne at Pelican Parts
I think she meant to say how it makes you feel when you *pay* for it.

Seriously, there are probably plenty of folks out there who don't understand why someone would pay 3-5X as much for a 911, just because it has an 'S' serial number versus a 'T' serial number. To each their own, and to them their own poisons...

If you ask me, I'd say both are examples of the "more money than brains" problems we have in this world....

the · 06-22-2007, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Wayne at Pelican Parts

Seriously, there are probably plenty of folks out there who don't understand why someone would pay 3-5X as much for a 911, just because it has an 'S' serial number versus a 'T' serial number. To each their own, and to them their own poisons...

-Wayne

I think the people who are paying big bucks for original Ss are doing so because they think they are going to worth even bigger bucks in the future. moreso than the T.

legion · 06-22-2007, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dd74
Off topic - Tim - looked at your sig. What's your daily driver like with straight cut gears? Isn't it too loud?

(Sorry for answering for Tim.) I've ridden in his truck many, many times. It's not too loud. Just a whine from the floor. My 951 also has straight-cut gears (for 3-5). I don't even notice it anymore.

Dottore · 06-22-2007, 08:32 PM

The art market is also a very fine place to wash money. You could either work very hard to launder 72 million - or you could simply buy that Rothko pictured above.

dd74 · 06-22-2007, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by legion
(Sorry for answering for Tim.) I've ridden in his truck many, many times. It's not too loud. Just a whine from the floor. My 951 also has straight-cut gears (for 3-5). I don't even notice it anymore.

Thanks, Chris. BTW: I pm'd you.

dd74 · 06-22-2007, 09:18 PM

Well, I work in the art market. Currently we're consulting on the new Speed Racer movie, and it's amazing what regular unassuming people who are nonetheless fans, will do for a piece of the original cartoon.

A single original production cel of Speed and the Mach 5 from the original cartoon goes for $35,000. At the San Diego Comic Book convention that price (for a real buyer) won't bat an eye.

tabs · 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dottore
The art market is also a very fine place to wash money. You could either work very hard to launder 72 million - or you could simply buy that Rothko pictured above.

Ahhh Yah hit the nail on the head...Buy a painting for 250K at auction keep it a few years and sell for 750K at auction....whose to know what U paid for it?

Now the IRS is getting around to 1099 you on selling any item for more than 10K at auction..OUUUU..wait till word of that gets around.

Most of U kinow I bought some expensive spoons (Allan Adler Flatware set) a few years back well they are worth 4Xs what I paid for them today. Ohhh and the list goes on and on and on.

Now heres one for ya all. About 5 years back a Bennet Bradbury (Brother of Ray "Mr Science Fiction" Bradbury) Seascape (He cranked them out like a production line before he died) would sell for $600 to $800 (26 X 36). John Morans Auctions in Pasadena, CA (CA Plein Aire paintings is what they are FAMOUS for auctioning), got about 40 Bennet Bradbury Paintings on Consignment to auction. They put 8 or so in every auction. It wasn't long before those Bradburys were selling for 3500 to 4000 apiece. Thats called making a market for an artist.

I had about six of them at one time but sold all but one for about what I had in them...$600 to $800 apiece...the small one I had sold recently for $4250.

BTW..Bradbury did nice Seascapes.

And fking Motion couldn't be bothered by that kind of RETURN...Maybe the joke is on him...

Also I did keep the best one I had.

tabs · 06-23-2007, 12:03 AM

Here is the Bradbury that I had that recently sold for $4250.

And a larger one that I still have

Porsche · Porsche's Garage

It's also about the name of the artist - Damien Hirst is well-known.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damien_Hirst

For example, Picasso could scribble some random doodles on a piece of paper - as long as you can prove it is an original Picasso, it would be worth $$$. If you and I did the same exact doodle, it would be worth not much at all.

Of course, an artist becomes well-known for a reason.

tabs · 06-23-2007, 12:38 AM

There is a Picasso in the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena that was done in the 50s...that is Picassos joke on the Art World... he painted a piece of crap on purpose because he knew it would be worth a bundle. Maybe he wanted to buy a Ferrari or sumthin that day and needed the cash?

However there is another Picasso in the Norton that was done in the 30s that is OFF the RICHTER SCALE.

And the Van Goghs...AUHHHH...everybody thinks the guy was manic, Horse *****...the guy was hurrying so he wouldn't lose the inspiration/light...he did many of those on site in a day... There is total control in his brush strokes..he knew what the fk he was doing.