"For in the past decade, there has been no art too sorry to be sold at auction, no art too brainless, slapdash, repetitive, obnoxious or devoid of originality. More millionaires bought and sold art than at any other time in history. More art was constantly required.It hardly mattered whether the work had any meaning, let alone quality. Practically the only rule was that it must be advanced art, what used to be called the avant-garde; all this meant was if second-rate, then knowingly so,and if kitsch, then in an ironic rather than innocent fashion."
from an article in The Guardian 13/02/09 'Hard times will improve improve public and private art' by Laura Cumming.

old painting, old story, new chapter