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All 5000 Images in Beeple’s $69M Magnum Opus:What I Found Isn’t So Pretty

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Re: All 5000 Images in Beeple’s $69M Magnum Opus:What I Found Isn’t So Pretty

#231
post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think people are just confused. Like, I didn’t know if who Beeple was and after seeing their work I can say it’s pretty offensive. So why is it worth anything? Is it because it’s a great work of art or did somebody with too much money take a gamble on Vaporware?

Why is this worth $85mil? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suprematist_Composition Honestly looks like a piece of shit to me, something my child could do. Value of art doesn't have to do with skill.

As someone who enjoys abstract art, I'd like to have a print of this. It's very pleasant.

But I'm pretty sure most art dealings are just money laundering.

Re: All 5000 Images in Beeple’s $69M Magnum Opus:What I Found Isn’t So Pretty

#232
post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Is a rare vinyl pressing of a record any nicer to listen to than an mp3 you can download for free? I get your point but this isn't a particularly suitable example. Audiophiles have been arguing for ages that the quality of compressed mp3 and even CDs is not comparable to vinyl, that vinyl is "warmer", etc. Flamewars have been waged about this. So maybe not the best example?

MP3 is lossy by design but pretty good. FLAC is lossless. Same question by analogy. Vinyl as a physical medium may be literally warm though, about room temperature. But swinging air waves are pretty much the definition of heat, so...

The point is that, for a lot of audiophiles, this question:

> Is a rare vinyl pressing of a record any nicer to listen to than an mp3 you can download for free?

is answered with a very loud "yes!". I thought this was common knowledge here at HN. I've certainly seen this debate multiple times here. You don't have to pick a side or argue technicalities, you just need to be aware that for many people one format is indeed nicer than the other.

Re: All 5000 Images in Beeple’s $69M Magnum Opus:What I Found Isn’t So Pretty

#233

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wouldn't call being against fraud "having an agenda" as much as "being a decent human being".

I would agree with you, but then I didn't say she was "against fraud". I said she was anti-crypto. Sure if you think all crypto is fraud then fair enough, but that's a pretty bold claim (and verifiably untrue).

As a first-order approximation, "all crypto is fraud" serves you very, very well.

Sometimes it's possible that it might not be fraud, but might instead be that you just lost your money because someone was incompetent instead. But then it's hard to tell when they are just lying about being incompetent to cover up the fraud.

Re: All 5000 Images in Beeple’s $69M Magnum Opus:What I Found Isn’t So Pretty

#234
post #175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Beeple isn't a "complete unknown", pretty much every 3D artist knows him, he's produced and published more digital art than anyone else. He's arguably the Andy Warhol of 3D rendering. I cannot stress enough how much of an overstatement that is. He's not the first, the biggest, the best, the most popular, or most prolific artist, he's not very well known in the space, and I think few, if any, professional 3D artists…

He's definitely the most prolific 3D artist, ever. Nobody else even comes close. As for being "the best" or "the biggest" or "the most popular", these terms don't make sense even in non-digital art. Indeed, he is not any of these things, but neither was Andy Warhol. It's not a coincidence that he, of all people, managed to sell 69 million dollars worth of cookie-cutter crap. That's what makes him the Andy Warhol of d…

> He's definitely the most prolific 3D artist, ever.

That is either false, or it's true in a way that is meaningless.

There are artists who have spent every day creating art. Daily art exercises and sketchbooks are commonplace. Some work in 3D, some have been working far longer than Beeple has.

If you mean "Beeple has been publishing a discrete piece of art, publicly, every day for longer than others", then I dunno, maybe? I'm not sure why that's anything to be proud of, or why anyone would aim to do that, but it might be true.

If you mean "he's created more pieces of 3D art than anyone else", then no, he's outstripped by literally thousands if not tens of thousands of people. The "winner" is probably some unknown previz animator working in an outsourced animation studio in India or China somewhere. :)

...of course, you might say "that doesn't count, I don't CARE about the stuff those guys do. Well, maybe I don't care about the stuff Beeple does.

> It's not a coincidence that he, of all people, managed to sell 69 million dollars worth of cookie-cutter crap.

It very likely isn't a coincidence. https://amycastor.com/2021/03/14/metakovan-the-mystery-beepl...

> most of them are busy creating escapist stuff that will never get the attention of the art scene. To that end, skill just doesn't matter.

And I don't think the art scene thinks very much of Beeple, so I'm not sure what that proves.

Re: All 5000 Images in Beeple’s $69M Magnum Opus:What I Found Isn’t So Pretty

#235
post #234

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He's definitely the most prolific 3D artist, ever. Nobody else even comes close. As for being "the best" or "the biggest" or "the most popular", these terms don't make sense even in non-digital art. Indeed, he is not any of these things, but neither was Andy Warhol. It's not a coincidence that he, of all people, managed to sell 69 million dollars worth of cookie-cutter crap. That's what makes him the Andy Warhol of d…

> He's definitely the most prolific 3D artist, ever. That is either false, or it's true in a way that is meaningless. There are artists who have spent every day creating art. Daily art exercises and sketchbooks are commonplace. Some work in 3D, some have been working far longer than Beeple has. If you mean "Beeple has been publishing a discrete piece of art, publicly, every day for longer than others", then I dunno,…

> That is either false, or it's true in a way that is meaningless.

https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/logicalfallacies/False-D...

> The "winner" is probably some unknown previz animator working in an outsourced animation studio in India or China somewhere. :)

I get it, you want have some sort of "justice" argument. I don't. Your winner's prize is getting to work overtime. Beeple's prize is 69 million dollars.

> It very likely isn't a coincidence. https://amycastor.com/2021/03/14/metakovan-the-mystery-beepl...

The fact that this guy is shady doesn't really mean anything, there were other less shady bidders as well. This was a auction at Christie's, so it was about as legit as an art auction gets, whatever that means.

> And I don't think the art scene thinks very much of Beeple, so I'm not sure what that proves.

If there's anything the art scene respects, it's money.

Re: All 5000 Images in Beeple’s $69M Magnum Opus:What I Found Isn’t So Pretty

#236

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He's definitely the most prolific 3D artist, ever. Nobody else even comes close. As for being "the best" or "the biggest" or "the most popular", these terms don't make sense even in non-digital art. Indeed, he is not any of these things, but neither was Andy Warhol. It's not a coincidence that he, of all people, managed to sell 69 million dollars worth of cookie-cutter crap. That's what makes him the Andy Warhol of d…

> As for the "enormous number" of other 3D artists, most of them are busy creating escapist stuff that will never get the attention of the art scene. To that end, skill just doesn't matter. Ah, yeah it does matter. That's why they are busy cultivating said skill, and the content does not matter much. Nor does the so called art scene. In fact, if you knew the etymology of escapade, you might see how it is a polar oppo…

> Maybe I misunderstad what "escapist" means, but I don't expect you to explain it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escapist_fiction

https://www.artstation.com/?sort_by=community

Re: All 5000 Images in Beeple’s $69M Magnum Opus:What I Found Isn’t So Pretty

#237

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would agree with you, but then I didn't say she was "against fraud". I said she was anti-crypto. Sure if you think all crypto is fraud then fair enough, but that's a pretty bold claim (and verifiably untrue).

As a first-order approximation, "all crypto is fraud" serves you very, very well. Sometimes it's possible that it might not be fraud, but might instead be that you just lost your money because someone was incompetent instead. But then it's hard to tell when they are just lying about being incompetent to cover up the fraud.

The first widespread use of Bitcoin was not for fraud, so as an approximation it seems pretty poor.

Re: All 5000 Images in Beeple’s $69M Magnum Opus:What I Found Isn’t So Pretty

#238

“By posting the results online I’m ‘less’ likely to throw down a big pile of ass-shit,” the artist explains of the impetus behind the daily creative exercise on his website, “even though most of the time I still do because I suck ass.” Whether or not Beeple actually believes his work is bad isn’t the only problem I have with the artist. This kind of two faced self-depreciation is nauseating, especially coming from so…

I take a different perspective. If my expectations are set too high then I'm practically unable to attempt doing new, challenging things. I can understand that sentiment of trying to be humble, even if screaming to the world that you're "trash" isn't terribly productive.

And it's not like I expect someone who's an artist of all people to remain upstanding in all their communications. I'd rather just hope they can keep honing their talents, of whatever subjective skill level.

Re: All 5000 Images in Beeple’s $69M Magnum Opus:What I Found Isn’t So Pretty

#239
post #224
post #173

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the art world it's a pretty straightforward formula: -Buy out the estate of a 3rd tier artist who once drank a beer with a famous artist -Created slick marketing materials written by an art critic who was paid a lot of money to hold their nose -Place several key pieces up for auction and an accomplice buys them at inflated prices -Market is cornered, established prices are high, nothing left to do but sell to buye…

And, for the 'art investor', as long as other collectors don't sell for a lower price, it doesn't even matter. Many galleries will blacklist collectors who sell for lower prices. As long as there's someone to buy, you're fine.

Is it legal to exclude someone from a public auction?

And couldn't the person just hire someone to buy for them?

Re: All 5000 Images in Beeple’s $69M Magnum Opus:What I Found Isn’t So Pretty

#240

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a first-order approximation, "all crypto is fraud" serves you very, very well. Sometimes it's possible that it might not be fraud, but might instead be that you just lost your money because someone was incompetent instead. But then it's hard to tell when they are just lying about being incompetent to cover up the fraud.

The first widespread use of Bitcoin was not for fraud, so as an approximation it seems pretty poor.

You mean, buying drugs?
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