The Online Photographer: How Sentimental Can You Get? Dept.

Thursday, 07 June 2007

How Sentimental Can You Get? Dept.

"I love art. It is uplifting. If the choice is between buying another building or a Pollock, I'd go for the Pollock every time."

—artist Damien Hirst, whose personal fortune is estimated at $250 million

Posted on Thursday, 07 June 2007 at 02:05 PM | Permalink

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..and a guy being able and willing to spend that amount lightly on any work of art wreaks havoc in the art market, I guess.

Posted by: Max | Thursday, 07 June 2007 at 02:33 PM

Havoc? Heck, that IS the art market.

As Hirst himself says in the same article, what else are the super-rich going to spend their money on?

Mike

Posted by: Mike | Thursday, 07 June 2007 at 02:42 PM

Yes, a product that has no actual value but a subjective perception of its worth, and its price can be driven endlessly upwards actually causing an even better perception of the product in question is THE solution when there is nothing else to be bought.

Posted by: Max | Thursday, 07 June 2007 at 03:01 PM

He He
the artist is making art of buying art! funny and ironic.

Posted by: Boje Demanr | Thursday, 07 June 2007 at 03:13 PM

Has any product got an actual value? People will only pay what they perceive a product is worth whether it be a car or a work of art.

Posted by: Paul Amyes | Friday, 08 June 2007 at 03:37 AM

Paul, I think there's a primary product definition, which is not subjective. The car as means of transport, devoid of all luxury or status dressings is one. A car that doesn't transport you doesn't qualify as a car, in my opinion (a classic or collection car is a completely different product). So the creator has to stick to some basic definition, otherwise the whole product loses focus. There is no such constraint in art. Mainly because it's not useful.

Posted by: Max | Friday, 08 June 2007 at 11:46 AM

"There is no such constraint in art. Mainly because it's not useful."

that's a strange, unfortunate conclusion

Posted by: John DM | Saturday, 09 June 2007 at 05:27 PM

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