James Freeman on fri 16 oct 09
Here is a lovely bit that I found interesting:
"LONDON=3D97Shortly after the 11 a.m. opening bell for VIP visitors to
Frieze, a collector was seen gasping after stumbling over a pair of
black athletic socks lying on the floor of Hauser & Wirth=3D92s booth. "Is
it art?" he muttered, alarmed. Well, yes, it is."
The piece was "made" by artist Christoph B=3DFCchel. Here is more:
"[B=3DFCchel] has now made a piece out of a pair of his socks, which look
a bit worse for wear. According to the gallery, B=3DFCchel doesn't mind if
his socks get stepped on or kicked around the booth a bit; by early
afternoon, when the socks had separated from multiple kickings, there
were two reserves on the unique piece, which is priced at =3D8020,000
($30,000)."
It's great to be an artist. It's hard to get $300 for a pot you spent
hours and hours on, but you can pick up a quick $30K just by selling
your socks! Of course one is left to wonder why the buyers didn't
just pick up a pair of socks at Walmart, toss them on the floor, claim
they were B=3DFCchel socks, and pocket the $29, 997 difference. Hmmmm...
I own another copy of that piece but in white. Any bids?
All the best.
...James
--=3D20
James Freeman
"All I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice. I
should not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed."
-Michel de Montaigne
http://www.jamesfreemanstudio.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesfreemanstudio/
http://www.jamesfreemanstudio.com/clayart/
Dolita Dohrman on fri 16 oct 09
Oh, James...it is almost hilarious...but it isn't. My sons' rooms =3D20
could have been an entire installation. I bought towels to match =3D20
their carpet, not the bathroom. Oh the money I could have made! =3D20
Instead, I am now making pots.
Dolita
On Oct 16, 2009, at 1:15 PM, James Freeman wrote:
> Here is a lovely bit that I found interesting:
>
> "LONDON=3D97Shortly after the 11 a.m. opening bell for VIP visitors to
> Frieze, a collector was seen gasping after stumbling over a pair of
> black athletic socks lying on the floor of Hauser & Wirth=3D92s booth. =
=3D
"Is
> it art?" he muttered, alarmed. Well, yes, it is."
>
>
> The piece was "made" by artist Christoph B=3DFCchel. Here is more:
>
>
> "[B=3DFCchel] has now made a piece out of a pair of his socks, which =3D
look
> a bit worse for wear. According to the gallery, B=3DFCchel doesn't mind =
=3D
if
> his socks get stepped on or kicked around the booth a bit; by early
> afternoon, when the socks had separated from multiple kickings, there
> were two reserves on the unique piece, which is priced at =3D8020,000
> ($30,000)."
>
>
> It's great to be an artist. It's hard to get $300 for a pot you spent
> hours and hours on, but you can pick up a quick $30K just by selling
> your socks! Of course one is left to wonder why the buyers didn't
> just pick up a pair of socks at Walmart, toss them on the floor, claim
> they were B=3DFCchel socks, and pocket the $29, 997 difference. =3D
Hmmmm...
> I own another copy of that piece but in white. Any bids?
>
> All the best.
>
> ...James
> --=3D20
> James Freeman
>
> "All I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice. I
> should not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed."
> -Michel de Montaigne
>
> http://www.jamesfreemanstudio.com
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesfreemanstudio/
> http://www.jamesfreemanstudio.com/clayart/
Fred Parker on sat 17 oct 09
I have had the demanding privilege of serving on the boards of two separa=
=3D
te
and very different arts organizations: one a teaching facility in a large=
=3D
city, the other a small-town foundation desirous of bringing "the arts" t=
=3D
o
our community. On both I saw the same dismal absence of any real
understanding of the arts, but a genuine desire to "do something for the
community." On one I was the only "artist." On the other (much larger
board) I was one of only two. Typical membership consisted of lawyers,
wives of lawyers, bankers, wives of bankers, insurance executives etc. no=
=3D
ne
of whom were artists themselves.
These groups are vital for their contribution to funding of arts in
communities but sadly they also showcase how little citizens learn about =
=3D
the
arts during the course of their non-arts educations. My experience sugge=
=3D
sts
they have NO interest in learning anything about art at the
rubber-meets-road level. They are very interested in social events
promoting the arts, photo ops that land their image in the newspaper with=
=3D
an
arts-related caption and being known as one who is "active in the communi=
=3D
ty."=3D20=3D20
As I said earlier, these groups are vital to funding the arts -- in my
opinion because education fails so completely in "mainstreaming" the arts=
=3D
as
it does for sports, for example. Consequently, we get a public that is
willing to pay $30K, if they can afford it, for a pair of dirty socks if
someone tells them it is "art" by a "well-known artist." In their view
ownership of such "art" brings status among their peers, who generally ar=
=3D
e
equally unknowledgeable. They are simply following the regimen they have=
=3D
been taught: "...public association with 'the arts' is good for one's sta=
=3D
tus."
It is a sad commentary but it should be no surprise to anyone who is an
"artist." We all know we are in this because we have a special appreciat=
=3D
ion
for something others miss completely. This is why it is very hard to ear=
=3D
n a
living in the arts and also the reason the art program is the first to go=
=3D
from many schools suffering budget shortfalls...
Fred Parker=3D20=3D20=3D20
On Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:15:15 -0400, James Freeman
wrote:
SNIP
>
>"[B=3DFCchel] has now made a piece out of a pair of his socks, which look
>a bit worse for wear. According to the gallery, B=3DFCchel doesn't mind if=
=3D
>his socks get stepped on or kicked around the booth a bit; by early
>afternoon, when the socks had separated from multiple kickings, there
>were two reserves on the unique piece, which is priced at =3D8020,000
>($30,000)."
>
>
>It's great to be an artist. It's hard to get $300 for a pot you spent
>hours and hours on, but you can pick up a quick $30K just by selling
>your socks! Of course one is left to wonder why the buyers didn't
>just pick up a pair of socks at Walmart, toss them on the floor, claim
>they were B=3DFCchel socks, and pocket the $29, 997 difference. Hmmmm...
>I own another copy of that piece but in white. Any bids?
| |
|
