If you’d rather listen: voiceover and a breakdown of Luke’s Move is available via Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your audio. Trying it out. Might only last a week honestly.
Read an essay the other day about the 1960s art scene. Pop art: Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein, celebrities, consumerism, bright colors, so on and so forth.
Tom Wolfe, the author of this bad boy, went into detail about how Bob Scull and his wife Ethel became two of the most prominent collectors of that era. They gobbled up tons of art from young artists and flipped them for 100-1,000 times their original value. After building their wealth, they moved on to commissioning art. Bob and Ethel wanted to discover artists before their work hit the galleries. At the time, this Move was kind of groundbreaking. Instead of spending an exorbitant amount of money on a well-established artist, they went under the radar, found unknown artists, paid them to make something, hoped they blew up and raked in the money. Their method was heavily criticized, and yeah, I don’t condone the lengths they went to for a quick buck, but I will say… dialing in a little commission work from an unknown artist sounds kind of sick.
Now, Tom Wolfe's an incredible writer, and the way he dissects art in the 60s had me itchin' to peep the current scene. Dip a toe in ya know. Maybe invest in some up-and-coming artist, buy a bunch of stuff, watch it explode or diminish in value over time. Like I said, I dig the idea of it. Will I move forward and take the next step towards this pipe dream? Probably not. I'm not in a place financially where I can justify spending $5,000 on some trippy, droopy face, paint-splatter that looks like Radiohead's
“National Anthem.” Which, in turn, means I'm not even close to a place where I can commission an artist to make something that looks more like Pink Floyd's “Breathe.” I will say though, Bob and Ethel's story got me thinking... what if I just pay a buddy to make me something?
"Yo. I'll give you $100 to make me something sweet. Here's the paint, here's the canvas. Do your thing." Doesn't even have to be someone who's artistic either. Or hell, doesn't have to be just one person. Invite a bunch of people over. "Yo. We're doing a little commission artwork at my place. Beer and food is free. Just need you guys to help out with a painting." Now you have 5 to 6 to 10 collaborating on this piece. Everyone scribbling their names at the bottom. Chills.
Maybe it's cool, maybe it's shit, but that's the thing with art: after its creation, it stands still in time. Maybe you pass it down from generation to generation. Every time you look at it, it reminds you of all the friends you once had. What changed? Well, you got a new job, been working more, got peer-pressured to play in a slow-pitch softball league with a bunch of co-workers you don't even like. Stopped going out, group text dried up. Maybe that piece of art will bring you back, remind you of the good times you once had with the people you love. Motivates you to put in a little extra effort into friendship. Dial in a Game 7 with some wings, beer and a side of reminisce. I don't know man. Think it could be fun. Commission Your Buddy (Buddies) for Art. Could Be The Move.
- Bobby D
See you guys next week!