Yesterday, a previously unknown piece of music by Mozart was discovered in a library in France. The value being place on this lost manuscript is £55,000.
Last week a dead fish in formaldehyde called “The Kingdom” by Damien Hirst sold for £8.5 million. The gross take for the two days eventually came to a total of £111.5 million ($199m).
With the world markets in free fall, it really does beg the question “Where now for Capitalism?”. If the quick, easy and accessible ostentation disappears, I for one won’t miss it.
Fat, frumpy and fifty...
September 19, 2008YEAH just what l’ve been talking about the last few days, if the prevailing celebrity culture dies down, or is slaughtered never to return ‘cept, to those that have earned some such cult status,this would be great….
the greed that prevails in society, and in these corporate finance grey suits that have created accessibilty for the hoi poloi to gag upon with a slow death by debt and goitre, then it will be worth it…
if the govts of the west dont bail them all out, and in so doing create financial a few GIANTS that will create a bigger divide than exists…thats bit scary and l think it could even be a retrun to the mid century type of culture, whereby many people had nothing in terms of material things, but were grateful to get through a crisi, with their lives.
This could have better outcome for mankind and the planet..btu l think it a bit scary that w emay have to live through some very basic times…
very interesting and thought provoking post!!thanks for stimulating my grey matter,,
Dumdad
September 19, 2008I admire Hurst’s acumen in selling his “works of art.” Actually, some of his ideas are very interesting and I took the kids round the Saatchi exhibition of his stuff a few years back and it was fun.
BUT, if I were a billionaire and wanted to invest in art for investment sake I’d stick to the old masters. There could easily be a backlash to Hurst’s stuff and the value drop; Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Titian et al will always be sought after.
To use a sporting phrase: form is temporary, class is permanent.
Working mum
September 19, 2008No change for Mozart, then. If he’d lived today he would still have died in poverty.
I know which artist enriches my life more and it ain’t the pickling bloke!
Janelle
September 20, 2008aha. so that’s where i left it then, damnit.
man. the world is one crazy place right now…there’s only one thing for it. enjoy the ride…before, as jim morrison said, “the whole shithouse goes up in smoke…”xxx janelle
Dumdad
September 20, 2008I’ve made the same mistake: it’s Damien Hirst, not Hurst. Whatever! Bon weekend.
Suzysoo
September 20, 2008What an absurd amount of money, and all those people starving in Africa. Something is very wrong with this world!
Anonymous
September 21, 2008Hi, just found your blog, amazing thing our common lives. I am a 46 year divorced mother of three, and could talk a story just like yours…Best wishes. I will be back to read and post. XXX
inês, lisboa, portugal
The Dotterel
September 22, 2008Begs all sorts of other questions about artistic merits, for example. But I too won’t be sorry to see an abrupt end to conspicious consumption.
family affairs
September 22, 2008Thanks for all your comments and I have changed my incorrect spelling!
Welcome Ines, I was just in Portugal this weekend and came back to find your message! Would love to go to Lisbon one day. Lx