White painting set to rake in $1.5M at German auction
Robert Ryman’s blank canvas is set to fetch $1.5 million. What a legend.
Meanwhile, a near-identical version purchased from B&M bargains finds its home. Woman hangs a white canvas on a white wall, surrounded by beige chicness.
Credit: Shutterstock, Mike_O
This story gives a whole new meaning to ‘drawing a blank.’
An unassuming, stark white canvas, seemingly empty – but wait,.. it’s valued at an eye-watering $1.5 million – and it is set to go under the hammer in Germany this week. Say what?…
The 1970 minimalist ‘masterpiece’, crafted by American artist Robert Ryman and titled General 52″ x 52″ (a wildly creative nod to its measurements), is causing quite the stir among art enthusiasts. The painting, while appearing utterly blank, boasts layers of white enamel and enamelac paint on cotton canvas. These industrial-grade paints, often reserved for metal surfaces, give the piece its unique sheen – though you might need to squint to see the difference.
A fragile ‘masterpiece’ that’s too posh to post
The delicate nature of the artwork means it won’t even make an appearance at Berlin’s Ketterer Kunst auction house ahead of its sale. The auctioneers explained:
“The material is very sensitive, and the smallest traces on the flawless surface would immediately reduce the value significantly. That’s why we are not sending it on a journey.”
From jazz hands to white bands
Ryman, who passed away in 2019 at the age of 88, wasn’t your typical art-world darling. Once a jazz pianist moonlighting as a security guard at New York’s Museum of Modern Art, he took up painting as a hobby and stumbled into the art scene.
His stark, colourless creations have sparked heated debates over what defines art. Yet, collectors are still happy to shell out millions for his works.
“White is not always white. The colour makes light, movement, and the structure of the material visible,” said auction expert Simone Wichmann, waxing lyrical about the piece.
“The viewer is challenged and becomes the creator of the art.”
Going bananas for bizarre art
Ryman’s minimalist masterpiece isn’t the only head-scratcher in the art world recently. Last month, a banana duct-taped to a wall – yes, we know what you’re thinking, ‘genius’ – fetched $6.2 million at auction. Aptly titled Comedian, the piece by Maurizio Cattelan became even more infamous when its buyer, a crypto mogul, promptly ate the fruit.
While Cattelan’s banana ignited debates about value versus absurdity in the art world, Ryman’s pristine canvas seems to be taking a more subdued approach – quietly demanding its seven-figure payday.
Minimalist or preying on people? Genius or gimmick? One thing’s for sure: there’s a big cheque expected to come with this canvas.
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