$80 Million Record-Breaking painting at Christie's

Edward Hopper's Chop Suey just sold for 92 million

 

I saw the Hockney painting in New York earlier this year at his retrospective at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It’s quite lovely in person, rich, beautiful color and a grand scale that really takes the viewer elsewhere. And the auction price? It is whst it is, those who play at that level are alien to me. However if not for collectors throughout the ages we would not have all the great art that’s out there for us to enjoy for the price if a museum admission.

 

Such artwork end up getting donated to a museum eventually else they are loaned. I don’t feel these prices are outrageous when that Hopper above is priceless for example. I have always dreamt of owning a Balthus.

 

Someone was willing to pay it, so that was its value on the day. There's no other way of looking at it, imo. It's not about quality, effort, or skill. It's just what someone is willing to pay on the day.

I really don't have a problem with it. The only times these kinds of things annoy me is when the art work goes into private ownership, and the public can't see it.

 

I am a big Hockney fan but honestly if I had $80 million to blow I would do it by making life better for people. Think how many peoples / dogs lives you could help improve?

 

Indeed, the line between stuff like this and what gets mocked at the Museum of Bad Art is a very thin one.

 

Hockney is getting old now but this piece probably won't end up appreciating massively after his death, I wouldn't have thought? His 'A Bigger Splash' painting will, but this is not as iconic as that one.

 

Unfortunately there are a great many art works bought as investments that are stored away in vaults and never seen by anyone.

 

True, sadly.

I was shocked to read, some time ago, that many of the best fossils are in private collections, and are never shown to the public. Sad!

 

Agree with regards that appreciation seems unlikely - but you never know. The image is a key one from Hockney's early L.A. period - not as iconic as "Splash" but still a famous and key image - it was used on the poster of his most recent Tate Britain retrospective.

 

It's the 21st Century and we still have supposedly educated adults saying a certain work of art is 'crap' or worth $40? Really? That's the level of debate?

Anyway, he is an important figure in the art world and this is a pretty substantial painting so, given the world in which we live in where Neymar is worth 180million, then it doesn't seem to be that expensive.

I struggle with someone like Rothko as I don't get it myself but I wouldn't call it crap. It's just art and all art is subjective. You can't compare it to music though as that exists in a different way.

 

Even with 180 million I wouldn't spend 80 million on a painting. I would be happy with my solid gold dog bowl and a human slave to keep it topped up with choice cuts.

 

As is probably the case with most works that sell in this price range.

 

This explains why you'll never have 180 million.

 

I've always quite liked that one, Geffen has the goods, and it's nice to see a gay artist getting this kind of money for that kind of image, if it inspires more young men and women to paint...Kudo's!!!

I'm still in awe and LMAO about the Bansky painting shredding itself in London this summer, what a hoot!! Banksy Painting Self-Destructs After Fetching $1.4 Million at Sotheby’s