Monday 16 March 2015

DAMIEN HIRST WANTS TO SPEND THE REST OF HIS LIFE ...




Although one might argue that, strictly speaking, Damien Hirst’s I Want To Spend The Rest Of My Life Everywhere, With Everyone, One To One Always, Forever, Now 1997) does not qualify as an ‘artist book’ (because the graphic design was done by Jonathan Barnbrook, not by the artist himself), it is usually described as such, even in museum collections. In any case it remains one of the most staggering art books of all time, with a sumptuous collection of pop-ups, transparencies, movable plates, fold-outs, inserts, die-cuts, stickers and a poster. It presents a virtual catalogue raisonnĂ© of his works to date.

Discriminating collectors should go for the first edition (as presented here), not for the smaller 2006 reprint published by Other Criteria.




For more information click HERE

Thursday 12 March 2015

GERHARD RICHTER RULES AGAIN

With a record sale of 41 million euros for his Abstraktes Bild from 1986, Gerhard Richter has resumed his position as the world's most expensive living artist. At the same time many people in the art world express their concern that market for contemporary art is increasingly becoming a playground for a small company of millionaires, galleries and auction houses, worlds removed from ordinary life and ordinary people.I remember Robert Hughes wondering in the nineties whether there was actually one painting in the world worth a million dollars.May he rest in peace.

The fine portrait below was taken in 1991 by Dutch photographer Peter Daalderop and printed in an edition of twelve, True, it is not a painting, but at least it's affordable.





For more information click HERE