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

artsy.net

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

#121

I've never understood the art community's love for banksy. It's mind numbing drivel. South Park has far more depth and creativity.

First time I heard about this thing. I don’t get it either. It just seems to be somewhat witty but ultimately trite artistic “punnery” - somewhat akin to those Reddit meme gifs with the witty but stupid captions.. just done more artistically.

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

#122
post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>If there is real scarcity because of climate change or other widespread disaster, how much can a piece of this ‘quality’ be sold for? A loaf of bread, or less? First, if it's just from climate change, it will be gradual increase in scarcity and all kinds of methods of growing food become viable as the price of bread increases. So unless climate change actually makes Banksy undesirable, it will still be worth more lo…

> Once you start down the road of being dictator > of spending on expensive things that aren't solving > starvation, all kinds of things like space exploration, > the development of the internet, etc all become "sorry > effects". Guess how many villages could be fed on > the budget of the Apollo program. Feels super weird to me that in its full context the point of this sentence wasn't "We should stop letting people…

"Why Explore Space? A 1970 Letter to a Nun in Africa"

http://myscienceacademy.org/2012/08/13/why-explore-space-a-1...

NASA Associate director Dr. Ernst Stuhlinger elaborates on this topic.

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

#123

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…

It an effect if individual freedom. Unfortunately, that includes the freedom to assign value to things that may be objectively valueless. People spend billions on junky movies, tv shows and apps. But what are you going to do, ban entertainment? It’s been tried.

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

#124
This is just so impressive to me. That this was set in motion in 2006 with the engineering and frame design and executed perfectly 12 years later is just so magnificent I’m almost tearing up.

The way the it was shredded and stopping halfway allows the piece to still be hung, and in my mind, this massively increases the notoriety and value of the piece.

To prank Sotheby’s like this at the moment that the auctioneers gavel falls, is truly epic. Truly a great and well executed piece of performance art. I want video!

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

#125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Once you start down the road of being dictator > of spending on expensive things that aren't solving > starvation, all kinds of things like space exploration, > the development of the internet, etc all become "sorry > effects". Guess how many villages could be fed on > the budget of the Apollo program. Feels super weird to me that in its full context the point of this sentence wasn't "We should stop letting people…

"Why Explore Space? A 1970 Letter to a Nun in Africa" http://myscienceacademy.org/2012/08/13/why-explore-space-a-1... NASA Associate director Dr. Ernst Stuhlinger elaborates on this topic.

That's a famously unconvincing argument.

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

#126
post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Once you start down the road of being dictator > of spending on expensive things that aren't solving > starvation, all kinds of things like space exploration, > the development of the internet, etc all become "sorry > effects". Guess how many villages could be fed on > the budget of the Apollo program. Feels super weird to me that in its full context the point of this sentence wasn't "We should stop letting people…

> Feels super weird to me that in its full context the point of this sentence wasn't "We should stop letting people starve to death instead of sending people into space". I think the point was that you can apply that logic to anything... However if you really wana talk about spending on space programs vs spending directy on starving people, consider where we would be technologically, scientifically etc as a society i…

We could invest in lofty ideas to alleviate starving...

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

#127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The difference is the number of people a product or a project will likely help times the ‘utility’ each person receive. > Once you start down the road of being dictotoe of spending on expensive things that aren't solving starvation, all kinds of things like space exploration, the development of the internet, etc all become "sorry effects". Guess how many villages could be fed on the budget of the Apollo program. I do…

That money doesn't just vanish though. It's a wealth transfer from Adam to Bernice. Adam's bank balance drops from £100m to £99m, Bernice's goes from £100m to £101m. If that transfer didn't happen, then both bank balances would remain at £100m. Nothing is lost or gained, it's irrelevant (Although in Banksy's case the original first sale often involves a transfer of wealth from Adam and Bernice to a random person) The…

The transaction costs are bad, which may or may not be substantial.

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

#128
post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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...

The free market provides more efficient price discovery for indulgences

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

#129

> Banksy’s iconic Girl With Balloon (2006) attracted feverish bidding in the room and on the phones, racing past its high estimate of £300,000 to hammer at £860,000, or just over £1 million ($1.3 million with fees). As the gavel slammed, a siren rang out through the salesroom and everyone stood stunned as the Banksy canvas slid through the frame that it was contained in and emerged underneath—but shredded. I'm impres…

There appears to be a light inside. Compare the unshredded top to the bottom in one of the pictures from the front.

https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/uk-england-bristol-45770028

It probably used that power source.

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

#130

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…

Recently Damien Hirst has had to scale back operations because his brand of 'art business' is not selling. Fashions change and also there is a limit as to how many people will pay an absolute fortune to become part of the exclusive club of people with 'spot paintings' on their walls.

When the going was good his company hired hundreds of people. All of them slaving away making and 'retailing' his art. This was good for the local economy as lots of younger people with no local workplace opportunities were given a chance to earn a crust.

Although Damien Hirst never was the 'housewife's favourite' in the way that Banksy is, essentially it was the same game, 'art business' which is not to be confused with 'art'. 'Art business' is very much about making money, not making 'art'.

With Banksy there are a lot of hangers on that try their hardest to monetize official Banksy creations. Although Banksy's style is original it is also an easy style to fake. Banksy by being anonymous keeps some safe artistic distance from this ugly art business aspect.

More generally though it is funny how there is no money in the wider art business right now. It is a business that has gone the same way as antique collecting, there is no greater fool to sell on to.

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