Banksy Artwork Self Destructs

You have probably seen the news about the Banksy artwork that "self-destructed" immediately after it sold for over one million dollars at auction (If you haven't, you can read more here).

Image via Casterline Goodman Gallery / Instagram 

 

If you are not familiar with Banksy, he is an artist known for his art on walls, which often incorporates images or features of the surface to make political, satirical, or sometimes simply interesting commentary.

He chooses to remain anonymous (although this seems to be more difficult as time passes, and various outlets believe they have outed him).

Is it art? Theater? A publicity stunt? My opinion: A combination of the three.

The auction gallery claims they did not know about this in advance (a rather dubious claim), and now the discussion is whether the art's value has been harmed or escalated as the result of this shredding.

Thoughts? Is this a serious commentary on art and commerce, or simply more fodder for the "contemporary art is a bunch of idiots" crowd?

Where would the art world be without dealers?

 



Photo of Edith Halpert from New York Times

It can take more than talent to become a successful artist, what you also need is an outlet for your work. And in the case of new schools of art, not just an outlet, but someone to champion these works. In recent years, we have had some interesting biographies of art dealers, and the stories of the roles they played are often fascinating.


One recent book is "The Girl with the Gallery" by Lindsay Pollock. This is the story of Edith Halpert, who instead of pursuing her own artistic career, became an early proponent of American modernists (many now considered iconic) such as Arthur Dove, Stuart Davis, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Charles Sheeler and Jacob Lawrence. Trying to sell conventional art can always be a struggle, but it was particularly difficult trying to do this in the midst of 1930's great depression.

She persevered, and we have locally the benefit of her dealing in the Lane collection holdings of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. She sold many works to the Lanes, and one gallery of 20th century art will give you an impression of what her gallery must have looked like.
Her story is a fascinating look not only at the emergence of the modern art marketplace in America, but of a particularly driven and resourceful woman in business.


You can read the New York Times review of the book here; this book is available in the QCC Library.