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An artwork by Banksy shredded itself after selling for $1.3M at Sotheby’s

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Re: An artwork by Banksy shredded itself after selling for $1.3M at Sotheby’s

#71

Post by mattbierner »

rapnie wrote: post #18

Big art has been hijacked by big money. Art as an investment vehicle, something to preen yourself with, show others you are elite. This shows the hypocrisy. Unfortunately it will not change anything. The piece has just become more valuable, I predict. Go Banksy. Art for the masses.

This piece was excellently executed but shredding may not have been the best way to make that point (even if it is a good laugh). A few quick thoughts on how this idea could be modified if the goal is to poke at the art market:

- Destroy the original completely. This would be difficult as even ashes from burning could be resold and exhibited. I’m also not sure destruction captures the right point.

- Reverse the shredder idea to instead have a photocopier in the frame. Have the copier spit out “originals” on demand and reveal that there is no actual original piece.

- Have money literally effect the art (or have the money become the art). Like fill the air gap in the frame with dollar bills upon purchase or something super in your face like that.

- Reveal new information about the piece or about the artist that makes owning the piece horribly distasteful.

- Physically print a giant photo of the new owner’s face over the art when the auction completes.

- Have the artwork be a complete pain to exhibit or care for. Maybe it comes with a button that has to be pressed every 108 minutes or else the price gets shredded (sadly this would almost certainly result in some guy getting paid almost nothing to sit about and press the button for years)

Banksy is always a bit too smirky for me, however I can’t complain too much as this armchair is really quite comfortable.

Re: An artwork by Banksy shredded itself after selling for $1.3M at Sotheby’s

#72

Post by icebraining »

godzillabrennus wrote: post #17
Fricken wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's now a part of art history, it would be a foolish move on the part of the buyer to not accept it. Banksy has reaffirmed why he's maybe the only contemporary visual artist today who counts as a household name. Although I guess we cuold debate whether he's first and foremost a visual artist, or a performance artist. The audacity of his stunts and trickery far outweigh the merits of his clever visual puns.

Walked past one of his works on the upper west side of manhattan. I wouldn’t have known it was his except for the plaque put up next to the plastic barrier installed to protect it. Kind of crazy that the art is likely worth as much as the entire building it’s on. Although, this is Manhattan so who knows.

His works in the Gaza strip are definitely worth more than the entire buildings.

Re: An artwork by Banksy shredded itself after selling for $1.3M at Sotheby’s

#73

Post by KozmoNau7 »

rapnie wrote: post #18

Big art has been hijacked by big money. Art as an investment vehicle, something to preen yourself with, show others you are elite. This shows the hypocrisy. Unfortunately it will not change anything. The piece has just become more valuable, I predict. Go Banksy. Art for the masses.

Big money ruins art. I'm not a proponent of the "starving artist" mindset, but the simple fact is that the most honest, deep-felt art comes from struggle and passion, not from wealth and comfort.

Re: An artwork by Banksy shredded itself after selling for $1.3M at Sotheby’s

#75

Post by kbenson »

jacobwilliamroy wrote: post #56
throw0101011 wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

With a different kind of accounting, people behaviors may change. The wealthy art consumers want status, prestige, and acceptance as one of the ‘cool’ crowd. Or when buying for investment, they expect some will buy from them for those effects. If we make it much more prestigious and ‘cool’ for people to show off their equivalent donations to starving children, fewer will bid for the drawings and more will donate.

As someone who makes most of his money from non-profit organizations, I can say that "competitive donating" is a sport which many of the older rich people will play. The ones who play hardest are typically near the end of their rope and worried that they won't be remembered fondly or won't get into heaven (see: the catholic church).

It was so much simpler when the church could just sell indulgences...

Re: An artwork by Banksy shredded itself after selling for $1.3M at Sotheby’s

#76

Post by int0x80 »

fileeditview wrote: post #53

Discovered Banksy many years ago and I have to say: if there is a true artist it's him. Or maybe it's them? Still think it's very plausible that Banksy is a collective. The creativity and ingenuity just seems too much for a single person.

I find the history behind it certanly interesting (and the art is amazing!). There was a documentary and a conspiracy theory too about the whole thing, just a movie, but good to watch IMO. "Art through the gift shop".

Re: An artwork by Banksy shredded itself after selling for $1.3M at Sotheby’s

#77

Post by Sharlin »

darawk wrote: post #64
throw0101011 wrote: post #25

Not referring to this specific exhibit but other pieces by a similar artist. Thousands of people can create this kind of paintings for cheap. That it still sells for more than what many people can make in a decade or a career means a stratospheric concentration of wealth in society or a bubble in the commercial art world. If there is real scarcity because of climate change or other widespread disaster, how much can a…

> Not referring to this specific exhibit but other pieces by a similar artist. Thousands of people can create this kind of paintings for cheap. That it still sells for more than what many people can make in a decade or a career means a stratospheric concentration of wealth in society or a bubble in the commercial art world. Not really. The level of wealth required to reasonably make a purchase like this is what? 20 m…

Two orders of magnitude above something that’s already a ridiculous amount of money globally speaking. That’s not exactly reasonable, the fact that it’s not that much money compared to the real super-rich people is just a reminder of the unfortunate reality of long-tail economy.

Re: An artwork by Banksy shredded itself after selling for $1.3M at Sotheby’s

#79

Post by int0x80 »

midnitewarrior wrote: post #37
jypepin wrote: post #20

I wonder if legally the buyer can retract the buy? Although I'm sure it's worth more with that. Funny how Banksy, who was anti commercial things before as a street artist, now is obviously very torn being selling out and not. He is still selling out with this sale, but couldn't stop himself from trolling the buyer. I feel like I'd feel in a similar way - hard not to sell when so much money is in play.

It's not trolling, the work was a performance piece.

A performance, yes. But the deeper act is the very definition of trolling (in the broad sense of the word) :)
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