From "The Mystery Artist Filling Subway Ad Space With Whimsy/Sue Sarah Gilbert, a Rockefeller descendant in Seattle, raised $1 million to place her drawings in New York City stations" (NYT)(gift link, so you can see the charming artwork).
From the comments over there: "I see this story a lot differently than the journalist. A woman from a family of billionaires uses her financial connections to fund a vanity project so full of itself that it includes QR codes for people to send photos of themselves enjoying it. The art itself is simple and juvenile, like something a grade schooler would draw. This is the type of art a parent would put on a fridge, but because Ms. Gilbert has friends with deep pockets it’s being put up for months in the New York subway."
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38 comments:
That comment is absolutely correct.
Is it really that bad? Just think. It could be verse.
Its kind of paint by numbers meh
How many hungry children could that money have fed? Did the Times ask?
Oh boy, how triggering!!! What's nice Is that both the lib turds and the rethuglikans are both easily unsettled by these simple colorful children's book illustrations.
You make the algorithm happy. Its job is done.
Its nothing special
In the old days, people with money used forced exposure to make themselves stars too. See Herb Alpert's musical output (funded by his status in the music industry, not talent) and Pia Zadora.
It's harmless and less destructive than the political dilettantism of Gates, Soros, Musk, Bloomberg, et al.
I think the commenter is judging the art from a snooty high-art perspective and through a class-politics lens. If you see it as a stand in for advertising, then it's illustration, intended to be friendly and nice.
"How many hungry children could that money have fed?"
After democrats got done stealing it, none.
It innocuous in the hellscape of seattle
"...Ms. Gilbert.... would not name her investors, describing them as friends in the finance world who love art. But she said that once she pitched the project to them as a gift to the public, rather than a vehicle to sell something, it didn’t take much convincing.
“Let’s just say, it’s not killing their pockets,” she said...."
I suppose it's pretty harmless, but I don't see it as art. It might be the kind of art you'd invest in, if you wanted to decorate a boarded-up construction site. But is it an achievement worthy of the NYT? On the other hand, maybe it is. I think most would say the money could have been better spent, and that this is a rich lady's vanity project.
At least it's not hostile like most art now.
Better art then ive seen in a decade but thats not saying much
My kid read a book about the president.
I was my son's garage band groupie before they almost burned down the Cohen house when I was out working...
Same vibe.
Boost yer kid...
It looks like the illustrations you would see in a book meant for children. That is, before the left decided children's books should be about introducing children to various sexual practices.
Enigma said...
“In the old days, people with money used forced exposure to make themselves stars too. See Herb Alpert's musical output (funded by his status in the music industry, not talent) and Pia Zadora.”
Herb Alpert gave us that album cover for Whipped Cream & other Delights” that 11 year old Rocco found beguiling.
Pia Zadora was a better singer than actress.
@Rocco --
Sarcastic derivative of "Whipped Cream..." You've been warned in advance.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clam_Dip_%26_Other_Delights
“Ms. Gilbert . . . would not name her investors, describing them as friends in the finance world who love art.”
If she set this up as a charitable entity to which contributions are tax deductible, I’ll believe in the nameless friends “who love art” Otherwise she’s the only investor. However, better this than all the contributions ladies (and men) of means make to the Democrat Party.
I was just in the NY subway system last week on a visit to daughter and son-in-law. There are many other vigilante subway "artists" who are foisting their works on the public without paying anybody anything. At least Ms. Gilbert is paying and has gone through the proper channels.
“A woman from a family of billionaires uses her financial connections to fund a vanity project so full of itself that it includes QR codes for people to send photos of themselves enjoying it. The art itself is simple and juvenile, like something a grade schooler would draw.”
Sheesh, what a sourpuss. I guess the artist should have painted something more esoteric and recherché, like a can of soup.
Enigma, what did Herb Alpert ever do to you? And how did he “force” himself on you or anyone? Geez, he had to start his own record label, for one thing?
Maybe Muzak and other background-noise providers used the heck out of his oeuvre, but you can’t really blame that on Herb.
I saw him a few years ago at City Winery. Had to give lots of time to friends and guests to let his breath recover between songs, but when he did play, he still played! CC, JSM
The model on Whipped Cream was pregnant at the time. She appreciated that the cream and the dress supporting it camouflaged her bump so she could keep working. CC, JSM
In the 70s the Rockefellers were feared as leaders of conspiracies and the secret rulers of the country. Now they are all artists and NGO activists. Sic transit gloria mundi.
I wanted to find out more about her, but there are a lot of artists named "Sara Gilbert," not to mention the TV actress and her (adopted? step?) sister.
Herb Alpert was someone you'd hear on AM radio back in the day, followed or preceded by James Brown, Johnny Cash, the Turtles, the Allman Brothers, the Supremes and seemingly innumerable other artists, styles and segments of popular music. It was a great time for music diversity, now long gone and mostly forgotten.
”The art itself is simple and juvenile, like something a grade schooler would draw. This is the type of art a parent would put on a fridge, but because Ms. Gilbert has friends with deep pockets it’s being put up for months in the New York subway."
Must be an awfully talented family if this is what the kids bing home from grade school!
Alas, I find myself agreeing with Howard (I guess he can be right once in a while), the fist thing that jumped into my mind was “illustrations for children’s books.” The figures are very flat, very 2-dimensional.
Also, if you’ve ever seen a real dragon up close (not recommended!) the pupils are vertical, not round — sort of like an alligator’s.
@john mosby: what did Herb Alpert ever do to you?
Alpert was the "A" of A&M Records. His industry faction is why the Grammy Awards were known as the "Grannies." See corporate pop/rock, bean counting, and derivative radio product. He stands for everything I never listened to, what I never liked, and why albums padded one good song with 9 filler tracks so they could charge 3x the price of a single.
If you are into it...have at it.
How long ago was that
Lots of Debbie Downers in the Times comments.
A few here too.
Its nice but unexceptional
"And the sign said the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls..."
Her family's private island is Greenway Island, a 3.5 acre patch just off the shore in Stamford. It used to belong to J.P. Morgan's descendants. It's yours for only 8 million. Gilbert made two documentaries about her family and their island.
The link actually worked without having to give an email address. The paintings aren't very impressive, but she might make a good cartoonist.
The small doings of shitty artists with massive family trust funds is about the least consequential thing I can think of to put in the newspaper.
In the 70s the Rockefellers were feared as leaders of conspiracies and the secret rulers of the country. Now they are all artists and NGO activists. Sic transit gloria mundi.
David Rockefeller was very much the meddlesome George Soros equivalent of his day, hip deep in the Trilateral Commission, CFR, Bilderbergers, and other precursors of the Davos/WEF slime bucket of today. Another in a long line of self-appointed busybody moneybags scheming tirelessly to ensure that the average man has no say in his own government. May all their severed heads rot on pikes at bridges and crossroads.
People with deep pockets (mostly) fund the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Let's all be resentful about it.
There's a lot of really crappy "art" that taxpayers are forced to pay for. Hers is not so great, but it's free and it's not "in your face." those NYT class warriors need to get over themselves.
The agita (is over the top) they would rather have psychotic scrawls
Sometimes whimsy is just the right thing. Not pushing products or politics on you, just asking you to feel good for a moment or two. Nothing wrong with that. Some would disagree, and they are the sort who definitely need a little more whimsy in their lives.
Enigma said...
"Sarcastic derivative of "Whipped Cream..." You've been warned in advance: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clam_Dip_%26_Other_Delights"
Gah! The model on the "Clam Dip" cover should have been bearded, though.
Grafitti artists, you have your assigned location for new work!
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