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Maya Kabat's avatar

There is lots of great art out there for the masses at more affordable prices than 400k. Just go to any open studio in any city or town and you can go sift through and find some great things. Lots of us are toiling away out here. Adrien Brody was already famous. No way those paintings would sell for that price if he wasn’t already a movie star.

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Natalie Mather's avatar

Thank you for articulating this, and being so willing to penetrate what’s underneath Brody’s success. I’ve been tussling with this myself for a long time, as someone who makes paintings and drawings that are definitely not to everyone’s taste (but are a long way from a pile of dirt, lol) … I want to somehow bridge making what I’m interested in making, with encouraging broader connection to, and interest in, art. Encouraging access. I live in sports-mad Australia, so often think of it in terms of, how can we encourage people to participate in art like they do sport? Barrack for artists, follow their careers? Feel invested and included? I really would love to see more people feeling safe and comfortable to connect with art, rather than feeling excluded from an elite club, or like they have to be somehow qualified.

And I guess if total fucking dross like Adrien Brody’s hot garbage Marilyn has to be the gateway drug, so be it? … it really does feel like art AI would make if it had hands and an ego, though 😅

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JE's avatar

The piles of dirt throughout this article 😂.

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Karima Cammell's avatar

I honestly think it is as simple as the fact that creation and commoditization are on two opposite ends of the spectrum. Most artists are stuck in wonder in the making. The few who excel at the hustle are by definition douchey or “elite.” The rest of us are enthralled by the magic and confused by the game.

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Bokiso's avatar

I honestly think douchebag art is the catalyst for great art, maybe we’ll create something meaningful as a byproduct of eye sores and meaning less imagery. I know for me it is. It has allowed me to rethink the art-world and how I participate in it.

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Ari Temkin's avatar

This is a wonderful and refreshing read. I’d like to add that, equally, the lack of accessible art criticism contributes to the enabling of douchebag (Red chip?) art. We need douchebag art critics who can unpack the pitfalls of these particular inclinations in a language that goes beyond simply calling something ‘derivative’ or ‘bad’. Please take up that mantle, Jeff.

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Harrison's avatar

Fascinating! I’m Harrison, an ex fine dining line cook. My stack "The Secret Ingredient" adapts hit restaurant recipes for easy home cooking.

check us out:

https://thesecretingredient.substack.com

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ruralidyll's avatar

So many artists making challenging, avant garde and imho very accessible work - Andrea Da Silva, Santiago Neymrqz, Burka Bayram, Sabato Visconti, Anna Malina, Ed Marola …

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Mark Sunshine's avatar

I never heard the term “douchebag” art. Wild. “Wth is going on with that?” I say to myself trying to imagine the fk out of that as a system.

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