Sculpture takes the rap at Tyco trial
Andrew Werby
million, the thing press coverage has focused on the most is an ice
sculpture based on "David" that pissed vodka at a party? Kozlowski probably
paid 10 grand (at most) for that, but it gets all the attention; so much so
that the defense is trying to supress the party tapes:
http://news.findlaw.com/business/s/20030919/manufacturingtycokozlowskidc.html
Is there something about spending money on sculpture that's uniquely
decadent, or is it just easier to fix on that than on murky stock frauds?
Anybody seen a picture of it? ]
Andrew Werby
www.unitedartowrks.com
Simon
"Andrew Werby" <and...@computersculpture.com> wrote in message
news:aOZeb.482817$cF.168168@rwcrnsc53...
I would say that the concept of an ice David, pissing vodka and the images
that conjures up of how that was ....... utilised......was pretty decadent,
but the sculpture of David itself isn't ..... it's not the item itself,
rather the way it was used.
and shame I missed the party ;-)
Gary Waller
>
I mentioned adbusters magazine - in the current issue there is an article which I think is very insightful as to the behaviuor of the rich and powerful, and to all of us in general, http://adbusters.org/magazine/49/articles/oliver_james.html
Brett Cooper
They should have used Mountain Due (Bright Yellow) and not vodka.
Gosh how decadent.. Wish I had been at that party too.
Brett
Akilli
Ethan Gross
Sculptingman
> ties in with what I am also discovering- there is a strong market for
> what the rich consider to be 'conspicuous good taste' - reproductions of
> the classics, etc. They choose these objects as symbols, rather than as
> a part of a selective, soul discovering process. The most famous example
> in my town involved the purchase of an original antique tapestry from
> the Vatican, is (apparently) displayed against an arched wall made with
> clumsily
Don't knock the rich wanting instant culture- this proclivity has been
the entire basis for Art as a workable livelihood.
prior to the rise of the middle class, the only market for art was
royalty and church, and lets face it, how many Jesii can you make
before you just have run out of anything fresh to say.
The great salon years of Europe were fueled by the emergence of the
nouveau riche and their desire to be seen as just as sophisticated as
the aristocracy.
From limited run bronze all the way down to plaster cast knockoffs of
popular salon entires, art in the late 1800s was the flat panel
entertainment systems and lofted ceilings of the age. Folks bought it
to show how upscale ther tastes were.
The trouble today is that the richer folks would really rather have a
jet than art, and the middle class would rather have gadgets.
What we need to do is educate the monied classes as to what MODERN
sophistication looks like, and that achieving it requires the
aquisition of the work of contemporary artists.
But then- the REALLY rich just look at art as another investment, and
they just aren't going to buy a work that isn't either from an
acclaimed contemporary, or has some history of escalating value.
It is far easier to pick out the great work of the past, because its
what is still around, than to speculate on what 1% of the current crop
will have staying power.
christopher
Andrew Werby
"Sculptingman" <scul...@tfb.com> wrote in message
news:59d744d1.03100...@posting.google.com...
> > Not strictly 'sculpture related' but this misuse of classical images
> > ties in with what I am also discovering- there is a strong market for
> > what the rich consider to be 'conspicuous good taste' - reproductions of
> > the classics, etc.
[I'm not sure that's how I'd characterize that particular piece...]
They choose these objects as symbols, rather than as
> > a part of a selective, soul discovering process. The most famous example
> > in my town involved the purchase of an original antique tapestry from
> > the Vatican, is (apparently) displayed against an arched wall made with
> > clumsily
>
>
> Don't knock the rich wanting instant culture- this proclivity has been
> the entire basis for Art as a workable livelihood.
> prior to the rise of the middle class, the only market for art was
> royalty and church, and lets face it, how many Jesii can you make
> before you just have run out of anything fresh to say.
[There was less of a premium put on "freshness" at the time, I believe.]
>
> The great salon years of Europe were fueled by the emergence of the
> nouveau riche and their desire to be seen as just as sophisticated as
> the aristocracy.
> From limited run bronze all the way down to plaster cast knockoffs of
> popular salon entires, art in the late 1800s was the flat panel
> entertainment systems and lofted ceilings of the age. Folks bought it
> to show how upscale ther tastes were.
>
> The trouble today is that the richer folks would really rather have a
> jet than art, and the middle class would rather have gadgets.
>
> What we need to do is educate the monied classes as to what MODERN
> sophistication looks like, and that achieving it requires the
> aquisition of the work of contemporary artists.
[Hear, hear! How are we to go about that? I doubt there's much consensus on
the issue, even here, but even if there was, there's a lot of competition
for the ears (eyes) of the rich.]
>
> But then- the REALLY rich just look at art as another investment, and
> they just aren't going to buy a work that isn't either from an
> acclaimed contemporary, or has some history of escalating value.
> It is far easier to pick out the great work of the past, because its
> what is still around, than to speculate on what 1% of the current crop
> will have staying power.
>
> christopher
[All too true. What's really needed is for people (especially the really
rich) to be imbued with the self-confidence that would let them choose art
according to their own taste, and that this taste be an educated one. But
with art dropping off the curriculum everywhere, this is becoming ever less
likely. There are plenty of rich people with self-confidence (after all,
that's one of the qualities required to get that way) but far fewer with
(what I would consider to be) good taste. Hence this frigid variation on the
"mannikin pis" ...]
Andrew Werby
www.unitedartworks.com
Dan S
----------
In article <59d744d1.03100...@posting.google.com>,
scul...@tfb.com (Sculptingman) wrote:
> What we need to do is educate the monied classes as to what MODERN
> sophistication looks like, and that achieving it requires the
> aquisition of the work of contemporary artists.
Now this sorta sounds like we artists are no more than parasites of the
rich. And searching for a great ad campaign. Rich people have a zillion
interests but are all nervous of the parasite class.
Better to say "My work is not for sale" !!
Dan
Sculptingman
> rich. And searching for a great ad campaign. Rich people have a zillion
> interests but are all nervous of the parasite class.
> Better to say "My work is not for sale" !!
well, Dan, ifn you can afford to make sculptures and not sell them,
then maybe you're one of those rich people...
Could I interest you in a nice bronze...
On a certain level I guess we are all parasites on one another in one
economic sense or another.
Seeing as I make the majority of my income on commercial design of
knick knacks, furniture and other low cost items, I suppose I
parasitise mostly a larger group of lower earners.
But this is the reality of the world- it is a market economy.
I am not sure how to educate the rich, they certainly don't tend to
take advice from someone far less rich than they.
But on the other hand, maybe fine art is just too expensive- I just
went to an art show where most of the works were in the $18,000 range.
No surprise that none sold.
The biggest monetary successes in life was when I was desiging
sculpture to be made in pewter and finished with different
electroplated metals. Key to this success was that the pewter figures
were more detailed and colorful than similarly sized bronzes and at
one third the price. I concluded that there was a huge group out there
who went to galleries and loved the art, but simply couldn't justify
the pricetags on the bronze sculptures they wanted.
I wish I knew how to tap into the psyche of the ultra-rich... don't we
all?
christopher
Gary Waller
> rich) to be imbued with the self-confidence that would let them choose art
> according to their own taste, and that this taste be an educated one. But
> with art dropping off the curriculum everywhere, this is becoming ever
less
> likely. There are plenty of rich people with self-confidence (after all,
> that's one of the qualities required to get that way) but far fewer with
> (what I would consider to be) good taste. Hence this frigid variation on
the
> "mannikin pis" ...]
>
> Andrew Werby
> www.unitedartworks.com
>
(a fashion guru, a cooking guru, an interior design guru, a hair stylist, an
etiquette guru) guide a New York artist with his first gallery show. Based
on the success of this show, someone should pitch the show idea "Artist Eye
for the Super Rich Guy" - bringing aesthetics and art into their life, even
including a 'food artist' to makeover that bowl of cornflakes. Gotta include
that art nun off of the BBC - Sister Mary (???) - I love her shows, but only
see them rarely.
Fred Mason
acceptance, by displaying them one shows that one is cultured and relates to
"the finer things" without taking the risk of buying a new original.
A number of years ago (about 35) I was visiting an acquaintance and learned
that he had taken up painting conservation as a hobby. They had a number of
old portraits hanging on the walls which he had cleaned and etc.. I
remarked that I had recently read an article about people collecting old
portraits and displaying them to create the illusion that they came from an
old family. The look on their faces told me that I had correctly identified
what they were doing. A bit embarassing for all of us.
It's far easier to collect that which others approved of than make
independent decisions.
Fred
"Sculptingman" <scul...@tfb.com> wrote in message
news:59d744d1.03100...@posting.google.com...
Dan S
one buys an expensive painting... the rest of the play consists of his
insecurity, hinting he wants his friends' approval...
The men are so totally gay, but it's written that they are straight, this
creates unintentional humor. Like a gay wrote it about straight guys but
didn't know how men are!
Anyhow, there's a lesson in it about how even the rich who can spend $18K on
a statue are still subject to such insecurity.
Really, this is a good reason people buy from established galleries, for
that seal of approval.
Dan
----------
In article <iVfgb.170952$3o3.12...@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>,
RainLover
wrote:
>I watched that show "Queer Eye for a Straight Guy" - the episode where they
>(a fashion guru, a cooking guru, an interior design guru, a hair stylist, an
>etiquette guru) guide a New York artist with his first gallery show. Based
>on the success of this show, someone should pitch the show idea "Artist Eye
>for the Super Rich Guy" - bringing aesthetics and art into their life, even
>including a 'food artist' to makeover that bowl of cornflakes. Gotta include
>that art nun off of the BBC - Sister Mary (???) - I love her shows, but only
>see them rarely.
My wife and I saw that episode and had a nice talk about it
afterwards.
I didn't catch the name of that gallery, but it was a very suspicious
opening... Art everywhere, but ONE WALL was covered up for the grand
unveiling of this up-and-coming artist.
I've NEVER been to, seen, or been a part of a show opening where one
wall was 'opened'.
We think the entire thing was staged by the Queer Eye production staff
and are willing to BET that the gallery was a 'vanity gallery' where
desperate artists (or tv shows) pay to show their art.
Um... I just had to vent, I suppose there's nothing to really comment
on here. :-)
James Kelsey, Seattle (Stone, Stainless Steel, and Bronze Sculpture)
WoN ereH
Congrats on finding the right audience to appreciate your speakers. :) I
saw some of that episode too and do you recall that they went thru his slides
and picked out work for the *opening* he wasn't even interested in -- and pan
the bulk of his work that he was currently doing? He just sat there blotto.
Why I cringe when I hear the term *emerging* artist. Emerging from what? A
coma?
Debra