"A large-scale metal sculpture by American artist David Smith has become the most expensive work of contemporary art ever sold at auction, fetching 23.8 million dollars at Sotheby's in New York."
TRUE STORY: I know a guy in Upstate NY, now in his early sixties, who as a young man had a truck and would do occasional work for Smith, and whom Smith recompensed with a small sculpture. He has it in his backyard.
Not sure if it was something Smith considered completed or not. Next time I am in the area I'll try to get more info and a photo, but I'm not going to reveal any more details unless I get 15%!
I was listening to the NPR show Marketplace, and they mentioned the sale, with a flip remark like "Starving artist?"
ReplyDeleteNo. 1, David Smith is certainly not starving, he's dead.
No. 2, even if he were a living artist, it's the secondary market! Artists don't sell their own work at auction! Jeesh.