Came home from work a bit excited today after hearing about this :

Juan Manuel Fangio's 1954 Car Up For Auction

Of course my good lady wife just poohed the whole idea and said "How can any car be worth that much money?"

Slightly different story though later in the evening when this appeared on the news :

Princess Diana's dress snapped up by anonymous bidder as surprise for wife | UK news | The Guardian

Apparently that was a really good buy!

I guess at the end of the day, it's not about what it is that you're buying, but the history and provenance associated with the particular item.

Still wouldn't give you tuppence though for a Ralph Hotere painting, even though he's just died. I just can't buy into black smudges on hardboard being art.

Clearly I'm just not clever enough to recognize true talent.

Whatever.

 

Oh, baby!

Though to be honest, I'd rather have Moss's '54 Targa Florio winner

If Bruce McLaren had made two black smudges on a piece of armco on the way to a major win.

How much would you pay to have it made into a garden bench?

 

So very true Woof, I guess exactly the point of my question. I personally would love to own that piece of armco.

But would it mean anything to 99% of the population of the world? probably not.

This is really niche marketing isn't it? when you start to think about it.

And by the way Woof, save all the other guys the effort. Do the Google image thing on Ralph Hotere and report back.

 

You're assuming Woof didn't know who he was..........
I didn't so herewith the information to save the others the trouble. Dunno why TK didn't do it - wanted us to be in suspense....?

Artist Ralph Hotere, who has died aged 81, was a “warrior artist” whose provocative work portrayed some of the country’s most divisive historical events.

Hotere died peacefully at midday yesterday in Dunedin, according to his lawyer, Judith Ablett-Kerr ONZM QC.

"It is with deep regret and profound sadness that I advise of the death of Ralph Hotere ONZ," she said in a statement.

He is survived by his wife, Mary McFarlane.

Hotere was a painter, sculptor and collaborative artist and was regarded as one of New Zealand's most important contemporary artists.

During the ceremony to confer his Order of New Zealand membership in February last year, Governor-General Jerry Mateparae said of Hotere that his "contribution has been to enrich the cultural and social fabric of Aotearoa-New Zealand".

Hotere was one of New Zealand’s greatest artists whose legacy will live in his work, said art commentator and curator Hamish Keith.

“We have lost one of our greatest artists there is no doubt about that, but we haven’t lost his work. Great people are great not because of who they are but what they do. And what Ralph has done we shall have,” Keith said.

He was one of the great New Zealanders, like Sir Edmund Hillary, James K Baxter and Colin McCahon, who helped build New Zealand’s cultural identity, said Keith.

“These people have given us our voice. We need to be reminded how much we owe those people who makes us what we are now.”

He was a “warrior artist” who fought for things he believed in, Keith said.


And I'd rather have the Armco too, Woof.

 

I suspect Shadow you have got my point exactly, don't know if you have checked out any of his "works", but I offer this as a sample.

Put me in the list for a bit of McLaren biffed armco please.

 

Looks like a blurred telescopic sight in the dark.
Geez, I'd swap that for even a new piece of Armco - that at least is useful
Sorry but I've seen 7 year olds who can do better.
Clearly I'm no art critic.
Just as well or that lad wouldn't have been famous.......

 

Andy Warhol was a fraud as well, but that car is stunning. Maybe not 5mil stunning, but still. And no dress is ever worth 240k....even with the woman still in it.

 

Here you go TK,

I did one for you for free



Cheers, SB

 

seb your's looks better

 

Excellent work on the wheels there Seb. How did you get them so crisp and clean when the rest of your work shows the genuine patina of the hand of a slightly DT affected 50 something ?