Banksy’s “Are You Using That Chair,” oil on canvas, from 2005. A steal at $1.5 mil, or just a painting deserving to be stolen?…

Despite the ripple effect of the economic crisis on the art world and the rapid deflation of the vastly overhyped “Street Art” scene in general, London-based ANDIPA GALLERY is currently staging a secondary market “flipper” show of work by BANKSY, the centerpiece of which carries a sticker price of nearly $1.5 million USD. No need to stop and re-read that sentence, you read it correctly the first time. Flying in the face of all rational thought, the gallery’s namesake dealer Acoris Andipa remains undaunted by modern reality and is determined to see “Are You Using That Chair,” a 14-foot-wide canvas dating from 2005 that depicts a drunken hooligan inserted into a copy of the famous Edward Hopper painting from 1942 titled “Nighthawks,” fetch a price that would have been expensive even in the overheated 2008 market. The piece is one of 35 high-priced originals currently on offer by the 400-year-old art institution (Andipa was established in 1593) and the first significant—if unsanctioned—show of Banksy’s work in 2009. Obviously hesitant of wading into the currently chilly waters of the modern art market, Banksy himself has been a ghost since late last year, keeping an incredibly low profile with only a few minor street pieces to his name so far. Despite the fact that values of Banksy originals have dropped a minimum of 30% – 50% since late last year, Andipa’s attitude on the artist’s bankability remains unshakably optimistic: “We’re still doing good business for originals,” he said recently. “We feel the long-term picture for Banksy is still rosy. He’s the artist who perfectly sums up the early 21st century. We aren’t dropping our prices” To date, the record price paid for a Banksy original remains the $1.9 million tag attached to the artist’s collaborative painting  “Keep It Spotless,” executed with Damien Hirst for Project RED’s charity auction at Sotheby’s in NYC in early 2008. Until Obama pulls a magic rabbit out of his hat, we’re willing to bet that’s a record that holds true for quite some time to come. HAVE A LOOK: Read the rest of this entry »

Oops. Looks like CHIA PET, INC. is gonna get audited annually for the next four years. Duh…

If ever a new robotic product should have been introduced on “The Office” (or in the pages of The Onion), it is EXMOVERE’s new MOBILE CHARIOT. A so-called “wearable robot” that is part Segway, part R2D2, the device is totally self-balancing and hands-free, allows “riders” to move from a standing to seated position while still wearing the device, and can move at speeds of up to 12 mph. Like a Segway, it is controlled by subtle body movements, mainly of the lower torso and hips. Sensors inside the cocoon-like shell of the vehicle predict the intended motion of the wearer, and according the company claims (this must be for American users), the Chariot requires “no manual dexterity, and minimal physical effort and allows wearers to closely approach and reach objects.” While we’d like to believe this device was created strictly for amputees and the disabled (picture Stephen Hawking as a newly empowered super robot warrior), we’re inclined to believe the rumors that America’s massive obese population is quietly buying up the company’s entire first run of the product in an effort to organize a secret gladiatorial league.

Michael Scott’s new “Casual Fridays” outfit…

Supertouch’s own master painter ERIC WHITE makes some interesting food choices in his life as a NYC bachelor. That and the fact that he was raised in Michigan more than explain his latest dinner of redneck sushi…

It was only a matter of time, Supertouch’s own SHEPARD FAIREY’s iconic OBAMA campaign artwork finally made its way to SOUTH PARK last nite where the Big O received the typical Matt & Tre makeover on the season’s latest episode. Watch it HERE…

C&B’s $249 photo of Espo’s artwork and a guideline for suggested use…

In a move seemingly made especially for the WTF?!? Files, mass market home furnishings retailer CRATE & BARREL has recently made available for sale an ink-on-canvas print of a photograph of the Coney Island snack shop signs hand painted by STEPHEN POWERS (aka: ESPO) back in 2005 as part of CREATIVE TIME’s Coney renovation project, THE DREAMLAND ARTISTS CLUB. Shot by photographer ERIN CLARK, the image is available through the company’s “hip” CB2 imprint for the rock bottom price of $249 USD and comes signed by the photographer with a list of the Clark’s accomplishments printed on the reverse, yet curiously, no mention of Stephen Powers or the Dreamland Artists Club:

“Hot diggety dog. Armed with a camera and an appetite for nostalgia, artist and NY native Erin Clark captured this kitschy Coney Island summer tableau. Reproduced in ink on canvas and stretched on a wood frame for hanging. Artist signature; bio on back informs Clark’s work has been shown in various solo and group exhibitions.

Collectors take note: This one-time-only limited edition of prints will not be re-issued, so don’t miss out.

•A kitschy detail shot reminiscent of childhood summers
•Printed on high-quality canvas
•Unframed   

HAVE A LOOK (and buyer beware): Read the rest of this entry »

 
Debbie Harry es una buena Amiga…

Long before there were Steve Job’s flashy Mac World technology summits, prehistoric computer rival AMIGA staged a 1985 publicity event in which ANDY WARHOL created his first computer-generated portrait using a then wildly-futuristic digital camera and the Amiga’s pioneering graphic filters. Fittingly, the portrait subject was DEBBIE HARRY and the results weren’t too far off from his off-register silkscreen prints. From the looks of things, Andy was pretty satisfied with the results. In the end, however, Apple won the space race, as Andy never made the Amiga logo into an art piece…

The future of art circa 1985: The Amiga 1000…

Apple’s esteemed placeholder in the annals of modern art…

Apparently smoothing out the crow’s feet is not an option…

Wasting no time following BARACK OBAMA’s inauguration, purveyors of ultra-creepy celebrity likenesses MADAME TUSSAUDS got down to the business of immortalizing the first couple in the time-honored and forever freaky medium of wax. Barack’s already made his debut at the institution’s Washington D.C. branch to the horror of several infants attending the unveiling, while first lady MICHELLE is still being sculpted in London’s Merlin Studios in preparation for her March debut. Unfortunately, she won’t be joining her man in his Oval Office setting; instead she’ll be placed in line with the museum’s other first ladies, right next to now-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton…

Possibly the only person in the entire world not trying to meet Barack, even a wax one…