Behold, there goes Brad Pitt shopping for some serious art items! After last’s year art-pitt-interrogation, now I’m left puzzling about his newest addition: a 1998 painting worth $1 Million he bought from the Art Basel in Switzerland!
The 9 foot racetrack painting by Neo Rauch is an oil-image of a Formula one race car with the driver within and mechanical team members carrying (what seems to be) a bunch of colored hoses around. (the story continues right after the jump!)
The Etappe painting had Pitt all hesitating about buying it but he was reportedly challenged by his two accompanying friends who told him they’d be buying it. (to add up to their already four Neo Rauch collection!) But who is and what does Neo Rauch stands for in art? Neo Rauch is a 49-years old German artist, a social, realistic painter flirting with surrealism but generously imagining communism. His artistic work has more of an historic value and a morally challenged reality dimension.
I may be an art ignorant to allow my shallow self push me to impertinently ask if that painting is really worth a million! Would you (if you could) pay for it? (I thought communism was illliving but art about communism is now considered valuable? or just snob-shopping? ) (via)
2 comments
This is snob shopping. This is still a part of art soap bubble for the snobbish rich I thought was over due to the credit crunch? (Sorry Brad!)
As I’ve read here in the Netherlands Brad bought also work from Atelier Lieshout (Rotterdam). Founder Joep van Lieshout stated that this was nothing special since Brad is a fan of Lieshout and has more work of his. He has also opted to buy a so called Hotel Capsule. One with 6 rooms. See here.
We have not to guess why do we?
As for this painting not even as a Formula 1 fan I’ve any desire to hang this on my wall. Further the price for this contemporary piece does really surprise me.
The art world is a very nebulous and esoteric thing. It is hard to explain and define at times. I often think that if one likes a piece and is a lover of the style the artist or the message it is trying or not trying to convey then you should purchase it if you can. How is buying this any different from the incredible high price a woman (with the means to do so) pays for Haute Couture?
Also Brad Pitt is a known art collector so this is no surprise and I do not this is a whimsical purchase. As for the painting itself I rather like it.
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