Ohhh... Alright...

Rephrasing an English proverb “If the mountain won't come to Mohammed, then Mohammed must go to the mountain”, I am getting: “If I won’t go to Liechtenstein on Saturday, Liechtenstein comes to me”. Not strictly to me, and not the same Liechtenstein, but still (confusing, I know).

So here is the thing: I had nothing to read in the train today, so I bought a weekend edition of the International Herald Tribune (the ONLY periodical in English at that little train station, if it matters…)  Not to raise your expectations here, I usuallly skip the Business, Politics (vastly), and Sports (completely) sections, and go strait to Art pages. That’s were Lichtenstein kicks in (for those who expected some logic in the post). 

“Ohhh ... Alright,” a 1964 painting by Roy Lichtenstein, sold for a record $42.6 million at the Christie’s postwar and contemporary art sale in New York on Wednesday. Image courtesy of NYT.  

Two Pop masters, Warhol and Lichtenstein, competed for a sale record at Christie’s auction of postwar and contemporary art on Wednesday night. Roy Lichtenstein managed to take the prize. His 1964 painting “Ohhh ... Alright ...,” a comic book image of a frowning young woman gripping on a telephone, won $38 million, or $42.6 million including Christie’s fees, a record for the artist at auction.

Andy Warhol, “Big Campbell’s Soup Can With Can Opener (Vegetable)”

Coming second was Warhol’s “Big Campbell’s Soup Can With Can Opener (Vegetable),” a 1962 painting with a can opener cutting into the signature can.   

The author of the article, Souren Melikian, managed a perfect the tongue-in-a-cheek attitude, while reporting on $750 million sales: “…These issues are acute for the two 40 watt light bulbs also sold (for $506,500) as a work of art by Gonzales-Torres. Cryptically titled “Untitled (March 5th) #2,” the bulbs were assembled in 1991 as part of an edition of 20, plus two artist’s proofs. A certificate of authenticity accompanied the two bulbs. What happens when they burn out is uncertain…”

So, we are living in an uncertain world and a funny one too. I wish you a sunny Sunday and only good news tomorrow.

Love,

AB