Thursday 25 October 2007

Trash Art

"Without the cock." pastel on paper, 2005

On the news last night, they had a story about a woman who found a painting in the rubbish (what was she doing looking in the first place?!?), and rescued it minutes before the dustcart came to empty the bins. What she had found was a lost example of Latin American abstract art, which is expected to fetch $1 million at auction.

Now, personally, I wouldn't pay $1000 for it, but that's just me. I can see that it might have merit if you know what to look for (I don't). And of course, the guy's dead, which also makes the work more valuable.

What I really find interesting is the fact that people will pay $1 million for a painting in the first place. You can get an original in almost any style by a professional artist for a few hundreds or thousands. It's not the material or the labour that you're paying more for, it's the connection with the particular famous artist who painted it.

Tracey Emin's bed fetched $300,000. They could have mine for $200,000. It's not got the funny stains or used condoms, but at that price I'm sure I could find (hire?) someone to help me with that...

I would draw the line, though, at this. If you read the article carefully, you'll see that the gallery spokesman describes it as a "seminal" work. Wrong end, surely?

I don't care how much money I could make. Except, of course that no-one would pay for mine. It's not as "valuable". But why?

Which brings me to the pictured work. This is a prime example of the juxtaposition of figurative and Picassoesque traditions (look at the positioning of the nose, for example), and the masterful use of light and shade to draw a subject who's life's work could be summed up in those very words, is simply breathtaking.

It's also the only existing work by this particular artist (unless anyone's been going through my rubbish). So surely it's worth something? I mean it's crap, but you'd rather have this than one of Manzoni's tins, right?

Anyway, I'll sell it to the highest bidder...

50 comments:

Bee said...

I staRt the bidding at $20!

Bee said...

You pay for shipping right?

Bee said...

Poop:
That is just sooooo disgusting! And all before my coffee... [shaking head sadly]

Jean Knee said...

I like Alfred, this guy even has uneven eyes like another famous Alfred- Alfred E neuman. He's mad, I say!

For a moment I thought that was my bed but then I noticed there were no candy wrappers strewn about

"he explained that his motivation for tinning his faeces was to expose the gullible nature of the art-buying public."
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED-several museums bought some.

shit cans explode!! I loved this post brian

Bee said...

jean knee you are such a kiss ass!
I'm still winning the bid though right?

Jean Knee said...

so???

here, I'll do it again.

Brian, you gave me something to smile about all day long. shit in a can, LOL!

Bee said...

Yeah, I'm sure it also gave you some ideas!
Although maybe you can go up a notch and do dog shit in a jar... hmmmm...?

Jean Knee said...

I love how we can take over Brian's blog like this.

so what are you doing after work?

Bee said...

I started New Moon so reading that. Thanks for asking jean knee. How's your party planning going?

Jean Knee said...

I have a few decorations up but I can't decide how to display my skeletons. put them on a pumpkin; make a garland...what to do.

Bee said...

Garland of course!!

Jean Knee said...

I think I'm gonna get those nail tips for the party, but are they hard to remove? I had some put on at the beauty college once and they would not come off. the horror

Bee said...

They still this liquid stuff you dunk your fingers in and they come right off! Not your fingers, the nails.

Although that would be cool too...

Bee said...

uh sell this liquid...

Jean Knee said...

Martha Stewart, that maven of household misery, has these severed fingers and you send them out to your friends with an invitation. they aren't edible though, bummer

Bee said...

All severed fingers are edible.

I think Brian will be angry with us jean knee.

He might block us from his blog... :o(

Jean Knee said...

no he won't

martha's severed fingers are plastic, I believe

I made some cool string cheese fingers last year. I'll post a pic later this week

Bee said...

String cheese fingers, yummmmm.

I'm still winning the bid.

Jean Knee said...

yes, well, I don't have any money so I can't really bid

but, I can barter! okay brian how bout I trade all of my belly button lint crafts plus your own lint collector and you send me Alfred

Bee said...

Ha!
Brian, how about I send you $20 and no belly button lint!
I win!

Bee said...

jean knee, I figure we're Lucy and Ethel but who is who...?

Jean Knee said...

uhmmmm, Brian, it's like 5:00 there, ;why aren't you answering us???

remember when your mum told you to ignore people and they would leave you alone?

she lied, we only get worse

Bee said...

Yup yup worse...

Jean Knee said...

do you have red hair?

someGirl said...

"In a letter to a friend, he explained that his motivation for tinning his feces was to expose the gullible nature of the art-buying public." AND THEY STILL BOUGHT IT!!!! Sheesh, with tax payer money less. Nice, how very nice.

Jean Knee said...

I mean you, bee

Bee said...

Not today...

Jean Knee said...

okay, then you're Ethel.

I get that Hawwwwt Ricky. Babaloo baby!

Bee said...

You can have Ricky, he's too controling for my taste...

Jean Knee said...

ha, you get fred.
forgot about ricky's hot Latin temper.
strike that babaloo nonsense

Bee said...

hmmm... I changed my mind, I don't want us to be Lucy and Ethel...

Jean Knee said...

except the episode where they worked in the candy factory.. mmmm chocolate till you spew mmmmmmm

Bee said...

HA!
I'd prefer the booze one you know the "vitamin" one?

Okay we have to stop now jean knee.

We'll let Brian catch up then attack later...

Brian o vretanos said...

Somegirl:

Yes, with British taxpayer's money! The same weight in gold would have cost less!

Brian o vretanos said...

Jean Knee & Bee:

Okay, Teacher's here now! With a machine gun!

What were you saying?

Bee said...

Teacher doesn't know bullets can go that far...?

Brian o vretanos said...

Bee,

Disgusting: Sorry, hope you didn't feel like shit this morning ;-)

Brian o vretanos said...

Bullets:

But with a remote control combat robot, it doesn't matter where I am!

Bee said...

You British people are so violent!

Jean Knee said...

ha, hardly any of em have actual guns. I have a shot gun and a hand gun and can use both with pretty good accuracy

but enough about me, how have you been Brian?

Bee said...

I'm still winning the bid right?

Brian o vretanos said...

Jean Knee:

Yes, most parts of the country are pretty much gun-free = safer.

Bee:

You seem to be the only serious bidder so far - I can't find a bank that's willing to change BBL into Pounds, for some reason...

Jean Knee said...

I have never shot anyone.
I have, however been shot at twice.
things are a bit, well, different in Texas

Jean Knee said...

okay, how bout I add a can of green beans and a can of that meat egg abomination? okay two cans

Brian o vretanos said...

Shot:

Really? That's awful. Here even the police don't carry guns. One of the rare times I've watched British TV in the last year, they had one of these things where they send a camera crew with the police - a kind of "day in the life" thing. There were reports of someone firing a gun from a car. The nearest police (2 traffic cops) got to the scene and stopped the car. They (the police) were not armed. It turned out that it was some youths with BB guns. The armed response unit eventually rolled in, to the relief of the traffic woman who needed to know what specific charge to use to make the arrest. I think we're very lucky, and hope the day doesn't come when we're like you w.r.t. guns.

Bid:

If you can find some of the meat/egg stuff, then you might have a deal! I had a look in the supermarket this evening, partly because talking about it made me want some, and partly so I could post a picture of it, but they seem to have stopped making it :-(

Bee said...

JEAN KNEE HAS ONLY BEEN SHOT AT TWICE?????

Bid:
Since I can't compete with stuffed meat, I'll bow out gracefully... [maybe]

Jean Knee said...

yeah, right

both times the only thing I was doing was trespassing

Brian o vretanos said...

Shot at:

Was it by a Brit? How come they missed both times?

Jean Knee said...

first they shoot to scare you off, if you aren't sufficiently scared they blow out a kneecap...etc til you're dead

Brian o vretanos said...

Couldn't they just ask you nicely to leave?