If a famous, wealthy artist got a canvas and threw a bucket of red paint at it (details inside)

Interesting question for me especially since I’m currently in final rehearsals for the play ‘ART’ by Yasmina Reza. My character buys a painting that is all white, and the story revolves around me and my 2 friends and our reactions to this piece of art.

It’s just my opinion, but art has as much to do with the experience of the viewer as it does with creating it. One person might be able to look at the red painting you describe and be incredibly moved while another might think it’s shit.

As to how much it might be worth, I really have no idea.

Name brand counts more for some people than quality. So yes, 5 or 6 figures.

It would probably be worth more than it should be – but it depends on whether the work was consistent with the rest of that artist’s work.

That wouldn’t really be consistent with Picasso’s. It might be valued more if it were attributable to Jackson Pollack – but even then it wouldn’t be a “good” example.

If it were someone known for a primitive approach, and it was someone who was part of an initial abstract movement – then it might very well be worth a ton.

I wouldn’t buy it.

We live in a society that worships celebrity. Anything touched by a celebrity gains value.
This is applicable to artists of all realms. Actors, musicians, fine artists have followers willing to pay for castoffs. Perhaps to tell a story, perhaps to feel closer to the person. Personally I always found it odd but that is the society we live in.

I don’t think we’re talking about “celebrity” here – or at least celebrity that isn’t actually based on real talent.

@iamthemob How much of “celebrity” is based on real talent? I find it does not seem to matter if a person has genuine talent. Wealth or fame seem to be enough for society to consider anything cast off or created collectible and thus worth greater money.
Picasso was a celebrity in his time.
Sadly Paris Hilton is also a celebrity.

@Dog – I don’t disagree. However, I think that it’s dismissive to characterize the issue of artistic value based on the name of the artist as a result of “celebrity.”

On the high end of the art world, whether you consider it god or bad, the valuation of a piece is based on professional and educated assessments of its artistic worth. Superficial “celebrity” elements will push up the price, sure – but it’s a mixed bag.

@iamthemob True. But would an appraiser look at a painting as described, not in the style of the artist, and value it as high as work in the artists realm? I would hope not. Also is not part of that assessment considering the popularity of the artist? :)

@Dog – No – the paintings are valued based on, in general, how representative they are of what is considered the “best” of the artists work. In terms of the professional assessment, some of the “popularity aspects” of the artists will probably leak through, but it would be discussed in terms of the artist being considered “revolutionary” etc.

Now, the celebrity aspect would surely come into what additional value was added at auction (e.g., the appraiser would value it at somewhere between x and y – x might be the starting price, and it might get above y if “investor-collectors” think that the value would increase a percentage above y based on the historical value of the artist and his or her continued celebrity value).

@iamthemob Agreed.

And then there’s this which, no matter how hard I tried to appreciate it, just seems a scam and waste of space in an otherwise glorious collection of beautiful, moving, disturbing and thought provoking pieces that is the Met.

People would buy Picasso’s soiled toilet paper, yes..

Probably. Artists seem to think all they have to do is claim something as art, and others will somehow agree and pay loads. As far as Picasso? I wouldn’t pay a dime for his third grade intermediate art. I never really got the Mona Lisa, either. Just don’t see the big deal about that picture. Our local art shop has a painting, about 15” x 12”. Is white with a red, blue, and orange circle painted on it. They want $350. For $3.50 I could buy a piece of paper and paint supplies and paint the same thing.