Why do people buy works of art for £50m when people are dying in the world...?

[Solly]

Watching the Mr Bean film got me thinking.

How can a simple picture be worth so much when you can get something similar from the local art shop for £100? A picture of a woman sitting sidewards from the artist is little short of bollocks. Mona Lisa should be worth a couple hundred quid.

I think art lovers are selfish. The money they spend on paintings could easily be given to developing countries. There are many and far more beautiful things in the world than a portrait.

[HisMajestyBOB]

Starving Ethiopians don't look good on the wall.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Because they can.

[Solly]

"Because they can."

I'm wondering what the arty-farty left-wingers are going to say.

[Az]

That's a good question, Bods. But honestly, expecting people to part with their money volountarily is often expecting too much.

That's why we must steal it from them by collecting taxes.

[DAVOUT]

Re: Why do people buy works of art for £50m when people are dying in the world...?

Originally posted by Boddington's
Watching the Mr Bean film got me thinking.

How can a simple picture be worth so much when you can get something similar from the local art shop for £100? A picture of a woman sitting sidewards from the artist is little short of bollocks. Mona Lisa should be worth a couple hundred quid.

I think art lovers are selfish. The money they spend on paintings could easily be given to developing countries. There are many and far more beautiful things in the world than a portrait.

The only thing I demand wealthy people to do with their money is to spend it. Whatever legal spending is good for the economy. With this in mind, buying art works at cosmic prices is just better : they give back the money to the community without a counterpart you would bother to possess.

[Cruddy]

Everybody dies. It's how you live that's important.

If they were going to spend that £50 million on birth control, I'd be all for it. Education, excellent. Infrastruture development, a worthy cause.

Giving it to them to make more babies isn't really helping the situation, is it?

And it's no good handing it to the actual govt of the developing country. You'd have to move house and do the job yourself.

As for why old masters are priced as they are - you are obviously not in the art business. If you were, you'd be all for it.

[Frogman]

Re: Why do people buy works of art for £50m when people are dying in the world...?

Originally posted by Boddington's
Watching the Mr Bean film got me thinking.

How can a simple picture be worth so much when you can get something similar from the local art shop for £100? A picture of a woman sitting sidewards from the artist is little short of bollocks. Mona Lisa should be worth a couple hundred quid.

I think art lovers are selfish. The money they spend on paintings could easily be given to developing countries. There are many and far more beautiful things in the world than a portrait.

What hypocritical crap. You sit there on the computer and pretend to be more moral and care more than anyone else. Jesus said the poor will always be with us, you can't use them as an excuse not to enjoy the beauty in the world.

I hope you feel guilty enough for the rest of us. Sell your computer, give the money to the poor, and then you won't have to bother us with this drivel again.

[Lincoln]

This reminds me of the man who died and went before "St. Peter":

Peter: Well sir, what did you do to deserve heaven?

Man: Well, let me think. Oh yeah, I gave a dime once to a guy on the street for a cup of coffee.

Peter to an angel standing nearby: Give him his dime back and send him to hell!

[Ming]

Bodd's... After you sell all your stuff, and give every bit of money you have to the poor... then you can give other people grief on what they do with money.

Until then... you are just as bad as the people you are trying to abuse...

[BeBMan]

Why do people waste lots of money for fancy cars when other people in the world still have to walk?

[Lorizael]

Expensive things are a symbol of wealth. People enjoy displaying their high social status.

And money to pay for expensive pieces of art does not help the economy. It goes from one rich person to another rich person and never touches the actual consumers who need it.

arty-farty left-wingers?

I like art. And I'm a lefty. But I won't defend the actions of selfish rich people. Stop labeling people, stop making stereotypes, stop assuming.

[Nubclear]

What hypocritical crap. You sit there on the computer and pretend to be more moral and care more than anyone else. Jesus said the poor will always be with us, you can't use them as an excuse not to enjoy the beauty in the world.

I hope you feel guilty enough for the rest of us. Sell your computer, give the money to the poor, and then you won't have to bother us with this drivel again.

Fez?! Is that you?!

[Inverse Icarus]

Re: Why do people buy works of art for £50m when people are dying in the world...?

Originally posted by Boddington's
Watching the Mr Bean film got me thinking.

How can a simple picture be worth so much when you can get something similar from the local art shop for £100? A picture of a woman sitting sidewards from the artist is little short of bollocks. Mona Lisa should be worth a couple hundred quid.

I think art lovers are selfish. The money they spend on paintings could easily be given to developing countries. There are many and far more beautiful things in the world than a portrait.

art is nothing but a show of affluence, or, in my opinion, decadence. i just have SO MUCH FREAKING MONEY i need to BUY SOMETHING TO PUT ON MY WALL.

i never understood it. i'm just not like that i suppose. i can admire art, but i dont see why anyone should privately own it. art is often a thing of beauty, and all should be able to see it. state-run museuems should showcase the art. thats all. poof.

now, let's get into why we pay a guy millions of dollars to hit a ball with a bat, while scientists scramble for funding / people starve on our streets.

[Lorizael]

Because people won't pay hundreds of dollars to watch a scientist do experiments.

Although... I might...