Artist sells absolutely nothing for $18,300

[UM-Bot]

An 'invisible sculpture' consisting of absolutely nothing whatsoever has sold for a ridiculous price at auction.

https://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/news/347316/artist-sells-absolutely-nothing-for-18300

[Stiff]

I've got three of those at home, exactly the same. I might auction them off.

No low ball offers though, I know what I've got. 

[godnodog]

well I had enough internet for one day and its only 12oclock

 

[Rlyeh]

Doesn't seem to be much difference between artist and conman.

[+ouija ouija]

I can't find any pics of it.

[Stiff]

27 minutes ago, ouija ouija said:

I can't find any pics of it.

They're hard to come by but I've found one...

 

[jethrofloyd]

He copies actor James Franco

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2011/07/22/138513048/woman-pays-10-000-for-non-visible-work-of-art?t=1622377720612

Woman Pays $ 10,000 For 'Non-Visible' Work Of Art

We've all seen strange reactions to abstract pieces of art. Think about how many times you've heard, "I could do that in an afternoon," in reaction to a Jackson Pollack or a "really someone paid for that?" in reaction to a Marc Rothko.

But, last month, the actor James Franco put his name behind a strange new project called the Museum of Non-Visible Art, which takes what it calls conceptual art to a whole new level.

[Stiff]

And here's the three that I have at home on my shelf

 

[Chaldon]

Immediately reminded me of the Andersen's "Emperor's New Clothes"... Human stupidity as well as deception indeed have no boundaries. And both work best in the times of uncertainty.

Edited May 30, 2021 by Chaldon

[+ouija ouija]

53 minutes ago, Stiff said:

And here's the three that I have at home on my shelf

 

How much do you want for them?

[Berwen]

Alas, 1 more piece of furniture to dust. 

[godnodog]

In the 90s there was a portuguese theatre play regarding something similar to this. It was a massive hit, so much they even showed it on tv.
It was about a blank canvas, only morons could not see the nuances of white, all the art experts were fascinated by all the different kinds of white. Except a business man who kept saying it was a blank canvas, who was constantly criticised for not being educated or sensible enough to the the nuances of fine art.

[Grim Reaper 6]

2 hours ago, Rlyeh said:

Doesn't seem to be much difference between artist and conman.

Yes there is actually, if your taken in by a conman at least you can find him. 

[acute]

1 hour ago, Stiff said:

And here's the three that I have at home on my shelf

Why did you get three of the same colour?  You should've mixed it up a bit.

[jethrofloyd]

I think this is a photo of artist himself:

[khol]

Hilarious. On a more serious note its shows one of the faults of capitalism. Its slowly removing the middle class making the rich richer and the poor poorer. Money isnt distributed evenly and is found in large clumps globally as a result . The fact that someone has 18grand kicking around to drop on this....well nuff said. Hmmm 18 grand donated to a worthy cause, helping the homeless or whatever...you get the idea

Edited May 30, 2021 by khol

[Seti42]

And my embarrassment for the art world continues...
Seriously, it tragic that there are so many talented people out there who actually draw, paint, photograph, and build amazing things...And most of them are broke and need a crappy part time job to pay their bills.

[Seti42]

3 hours ago, Rlyeh said:

Doesn't seem to be much difference between artist and conman.

There is a huge difference. Conmen make a lot of money, and artists don't.

[Stiff]

1 hour ago, ouija ouija said:

How much do you want for them?

I'd like a blank cheque, although I'm open to offers. I'm just sick of seeing them.

 

1 hour ago, acute said:

Why did you get three of the same colour?  You should've mixed it up a bit.

If you look closely, they're different shades. And the backs are a different colour to the fronts. I do move them around sometimes to give a different ambience to the room. I dropped one once and it's got a slight crack in it but no one has noticed it yet so I think I've got away with that one. Phew!

[Stiff]

1 hour ago, jethrofloyd said:

I think this is a photo of artist himself:

Yup. And he's selling the toys too. The guy will be loaded.

 

On a similar note, my mother once gave me a small, empty cardboard box for christmas when I was about 7. She told me it was an 'Action Man Deserter'.

[Twin]

A fool and his money are soon parted.

Thomas Tusser.

[Wistman]

      Well it's not exactly a 'new' concept in art, though mebbe so in 'object' art.   The American composer, John Cage, composed his 4'33", in 1952.  From Wikipedia:

Quote

4′33″ (pronounced "four minutes, thirty-three seconds" or just "four thirty-three"^[1]) is a three-movement composition^[2][3] by American experimental composer John Cage (1912–1992). It was composed in 1952, for any instrument or combination of instruments, and the score instructs performers not to play their instruments during the entire duration of the piece throughout the three movements. The piece consists of the sounds of the environment that the listeners hear while it is performed,^[4] although it is commonly perceived as "four minutes thirty-three seconds of silence".^[5][6] The title of the piece refers to the total length in minutes and seconds of a given performance, 4′33″ being the total length of the first public performance

Conceived around 1947–48, while the composer was working on Sonatas and Interludes,^[2] 4′33″ became for Cage the epitome of his idea that any sounds may constitute music.^[8] It was also a reflection of the influence of Zen Buddhism, which Cage had studied since the late 1940s. In a 1982 interview, and on numerous other occasions, Cage stated that 4′33″ was, in his opinion, his most important work.

Believe it or not, there were precursors to this, though it's probably the most famous.  Also:

Quote

The premiere of the three-movement 4′33″ was given by David Tudor on August 29, 1952, in Maverick Concert Hall, Woodstock, New York, as part of a recital of contemporary piano music. The audience saw him sit at the piano and, to mark the beginning of the piece, close the keyboard lid. Some time later he opened it briefly, to mark the end of the first movement. This process was repeated for the second and third movements.

It premiered just down the road from me.  A source of pride in these parts. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4′33″

Edited May 30, 2021 by Wistman

[quiXilver]

Sounds like a potent statement on the business of art.

Art is an interactive process, first the artist with their craft and their process.  Then with whomever interacts with it once it's released.

As for the Portuguese play, perhaps it's a translation or a copy of Yasmina Reza’s vastly successful 1994 play 'Art', in which three Frenchmen bicker about whether an all-white canvas is a masterpiece or a joke (hence the quotation marks around the title). play 'Art'. 

A powerful conversation about what constitutes art and who is the Arbiter of what is artistic and what is useless.  Buddy of mine runs a theater up in Oregon and staged a strong showing of it recently.  Strong piece of writing and philosophy.

 

Art can be tough to pin down... due to the subjective nature of all involved in making and viewing it.

My take is, it's up to the individuals what makes art.

 

Laborers.  Work with their hands and bodies.

Craftsman.  Work with their hands, bodies and minds.

Artists.  Work with their hands, bodies, minds and heart/spirit.

Edited May 30, 2021 by quiXilver
added a link to the play's review

[+ouija ouija]

2 hours ago, Manwon Lender said:

Yes there is actually, if your taken in by a conman at least you can find him. 

I don't think the artist is invisible as well as his art work!

[Tomas S]

Actually all of them are just bad copies from China. I have the original. You clearly see the difference in quality.

Edited May 30, 2021 by Tomas S