Blog Post #7

Ben Weiner: Paintings of Paint

Throughout the trips I have taken through this course I’ve somehow always had the same question in the back of my head…”What makes the work of art so important and expensive?” Yes there are some painting that when one takes a look at you can tell it is one of a kind, but then their are those that look like something you yourself can create. So why that work of art? Maureen Callahan makes a point in saying that the reason why such works of art are so expensive is because of the name that goes attached to the work of art. Todays buyers only look at the artist name and not the actual work of art. Art seems to have become a game of “popularity”. Buyers only want what is popular and modern and in return popular museums like the MoMa and the Guggenheim mostly display what is “popular”. Some artist are even using their staff to produce their artwork but then end up taking the credit and millions of dollars for it, which I find completely unfair. If collectors are spending millions of dollars on these works of art shouldn’t they come directly from the artist, but in a way is it just bad karma to the millionaires who spent all these dollars on those pieces for absolutely no reason? Whatever the case is, when it comes to art I personally believe art collectors have become passive consumers, they will just follow the current trend. If you see a piece of work you like and it captivates your attention I believe it has value. Buyers should buy what they like not what others tell them they should buy. If a person is going to spend a large amount of money on something it should be spent on something that they will enjoy and something they value. 

One piece of artwork that I would love to purchase is by artist Ben Weiner's, “Painting of Paint”. I find this work of art to be different than anything I have ever seen, the vibrant colors and the realistic overall feel on the painting makes it all the more mesmerizing.