10 years pricking the art voodoo doll 2005-2015

Barnum Hirst…..at last

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1 Comment

  1. Shaun Belcher

    my post on artforum

    I had to wait 20 years for this to confirm what I’d suspected all along. As a young slightly precious and angst ridden painter I would hang about with a motley crew at the French bar in london and on one occasion an art reporter for Time Out conveyed to us her actual take on Mr. Hirst (then somewhat of a ‘sensation’ in old London Town).

    She was slightly bemused by her ‘interview’ with the ‘artist’ who was in middle of spiralling one of his drip paintings whilst she talked. At no point could she get the great man to divulge the thinking and substance of his latest work. Firstly impressed by his reticence as a sign of his great intellect she suddenly realised that actually there was nothign there..it was a case of ‘Being There’ in art world terms…she wrote up her piece as usual and on he went to increasing wealth and fame.

    I never forgot her astonishment and I sure others in the London Art World also knew the truth that the P.T.Barnum of the art-scene had fooled us all.

    Never mind big money talked and the critics were silenced, Until now… I have a feeling this time the game may truly be up and with it a lot more than just Hirst’s career. It is time that the serious artists that informed my education ..the real School of London had their say again and on cue Kossoff at National Gallery shows the King from the Clown.

    for those wanting a different non-advertorial/london-based perspective on the UK art world ( yes there is life beyond the M25)
    see
    belcheresque.wordpress.com

    WOOF

    ‘moogee’

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