"I love it when you ask actors, 'what're you doing now' and they say. 'I'm between roles'. To be living 'life between roles,' that is my favorite." - Andy Warhol
"I think it would be so great if more people took up silk screening, so that no one would know whether my picture was mine or somebody else." - Andy Warhol
(Decades later, luxury brands are still trying to
fight fakes. )
Recently I wrote a post about Malcolm McLaren and his motto of being a flamboyant failure rather than a benign success. I think he's great. But ten-upping him is Warhol. He seemed to live with the attitude that he would be both flamboyant, and a success. Some of his ideas remind me of the upside down logic in Alice in Wonderland. Or right-side-up, depending on your perspective. I just read "I bought Andy Warhol", a book about an art dealer's adventure through Warhol's time. I'm now absolutely fascinated by contemporary art dealing, the art tumble, and the glamour and un-glamour of it all.
And, I think art purchasing is making a comeback. People are appreciating art for art's sake along with the artisan, connoisseurship and getting back to the details. Therefore people will again want to invest in art. It's a financial investment doubling as wall-candy. I would like to get involved with representing artists. Maybe through a gallery.
I've been volunteering at the Vancouver Art Gallery to get an inside perspective and it's been interesting so far. One event I was involved with was a traditional masquerade party. All the art (except for Leo da Vinci's sketches) was taken down in the gallery, and the three floors were completely revamped. There were Cirque du Soleil performers, amazing cuisine, a live auction, and the whole works. The venue looked great and was set up for success. But the 300 guests didn't nearly fill the space and only about a quarter of them put effort into their costumes. The potential of the event, compared to the outcome, was depressing.
It seems to me the people controlling the Vancouver city scene are the people in property. Not a particularly artsy crowd. (Like London's bankers, Vancouver has the property flippers). I'm going to Bob Rennie/Condo King's private gallery this week. Here is someone with bucket loads of money doing something artsy and interesting. We need more of that. Vancouver could take some tips from Warhol, do a headstand and look at things a little differently.
Top to bottom: Banana, Cowboys and Indians: Annie Oakley, Endangered Species: Black Rhinoceros, Truck, Halley Mae, and a self portrait by Andy Warhol.
No comments:
Post a Comment