My recent auction paintings were for a part inspired by Robert Hughes's documentary The Mona Lisa Curse (2008).
In this film art critic Hughes traces the rise of the commercial art market back to 1963, when Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous portrait was exhibited in New York. The Mona Lisa, says Hughes, was treated 'as thought it were a film star. People came not to look at it, but to say that they’d seen it.' He then goes on explaining why high prices being paid for contemporary art has to do with promotion and publicity and not with the quality of the works themselves.
I don't necessarily agree with all Hughes had to say, but I found the movie very interesting. Judge for yourself by watching part 1 of 12 below.
