- Hardcover: 288 pages
- Publisher: Other Press; First Edition edition (Sep 15 2009)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1590513371
- ISBN-13: 978-1590513378
- Product Dimensions: 14.5 x 2.7 x 22.4 cm
- Shipping Weight: 431 g
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#316,871 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #73 in Books > Arts & Photography > Museums & Collections > Business of Art
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Product Details |
Product Description
Review
"[Richard Polsky] weaves his personal story into the story of a business culture that has grown more venal and volatile in recent years…. Art dealers have played a pivotal role in this pricey shuffle, and Mr. Polsky paints them as an entertainingly infantile, manipulative bunch… That Mr. Polsky operates at the periphery of the art world, and knows it, is an appealing aspect of I Sold Andy Warhol (Too Soon)."—Wall Street Journal
"An account of the runaway market of the mid-2000s—where auction houses sold close to $400 million of art in a night, and the value of a Warhol might quadruple in a month—and one private dealer’s attempt to adjust….Polsky’s prose is as unpolished as his persona, but that only adds to the rare candor that animates his riveting account of behind-the-scenes trading. Now that the market has plummeted, we can only hope he’ll be able to buy back his Warhol and complete the trilogy."—San Francisco Magazine
"[A] breezy memoir of the art market before the economic crash."—The New York Review of Books
“Entertaining…[Polsky’s] memoir takes the reader on a wild ride about the business of buying and selling this real estate, where one must learn how to play it cool, even when millions of dollars are at stake.”—Carol Hoenig, The Huffington Post
"In this instructive, irreverent and often uproarious memoir, Polsky explains the capricious functioning of the art market and the economic and cultural forces that have transformed it from the 1980s… A highly enjoyable and informative insider's guide to a milieu to which few are privy, this will be of interest to the general reader seeking to understand the art world's economic evolution and cultural impact, told through a delightfully vital mixture of memoir, reportage and social satire."—Publishers Weekly
"A fun insider's look at the excesses and intrigue of the contemporary art market…[Polsky's knowledge] makes his narrative as informative as it is engaging, and his enthusiasm for revealing behind-the-scenes tales brings the eclectic cast of the art world to vivid life…Insightful, exciting art-world memoir."—Kirkus Reviews
"A wild roller coaster ride is nothing compared to the vertiginous ups and downs of the contemporary art market between 2005 and 2009 described by Richard Polsky… The scene is crazy, sexy and never boring…A sardonic guide takes readers on a dizzying, dishy and fascinating tour of the recently crazy market for contemporary art."—John McFarland, Shelf Awareness
"An exciting, engaging, and marvelously candid view of the art world. For anyone even faintly curious about art this is a must."— Thomas Hoving, Former Director of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
"An account of the runaway market of the mid-2000s—where auction houses sold close to $400 million of art in a night, and the value of a Warhol might quadruple in a month—and one private dealer’s attempt to adjust….Polsky’s prose is as unpolished as his persona, but that only adds to the rare candor that animates his riveting account of behind-the-scenes trading. Now that the market has plummeted, we can only hope he’ll be able to buy back his Warhol and complete the trilogy."—San Francisco Magazine
"[A] breezy memoir of the art market before the economic crash."—The New York Review of Books
“Entertaining…[Polsky’s] memoir takes the reader on a wild ride about the business of buying and selling this real estate, where one must learn how to play it cool, even when millions of dollars are at stake.”—Carol Hoenig, The Huffington Post
"In this instructive, irreverent and often uproarious memoir, Polsky explains the capricious functioning of the art market and the economic and cultural forces that have transformed it from the 1980s… A highly enjoyable and informative insider's guide to a milieu to which few are privy, this will be of interest to the general reader seeking to understand the art world's economic evolution and cultural impact, told through a delightfully vital mixture of memoir, reportage and social satire."—Publishers Weekly
"A fun insider's look at the excesses and intrigue of the contemporary art market…[Polsky's knowledge] makes his narrative as informative as it is engaging, and his enthusiasm for revealing behind-the-scenes tales brings the eclectic cast of the art world to vivid life…Insightful, exciting art-world memoir."—Kirkus Reviews
"A wild roller coaster ride is nothing compared to the vertiginous ups and downs of the contemporary art market between 2005 and 2009 described by Richard Polsky… The scene is crazy, sexy and never boring…A sardonic guide takes readers on a dizzying, dishy and fascinating tour of the recently crazy market for contemporary art."—John McFarland, Shelf Awareness
"An exciting, engaging, and marvelously candid view of the art world. For anyone even faintly curious about art this is a must."— Thomas Hoving, Former Director of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Product Description
In early 2005, Richard Polsky decided to put his much-loved, hard-won Warhol Fright Wig, up for auction at Christie's. The market for contemporary art was robust and he was hoping to turn a profit. His instinct seemed to be on target: his picture sold for $375,000. But if only Polsky had waited . . . Over the next two years, prices soared to unimaginable heights with multimillion-dollar deals that became the norm and not the exception. Buyers and sellers were baffled, art dealers were bypassed for auction houses, and benchmark prices proved that trees really do grow to the sky. Had the market lost all reason?
In I Sold Andy Warhol (Too Soon), Polsky leads the way through this explosive, short-lived period when the "art world" became the "art market." He delves into the behind-the-scenes politics of auctions, the shift in power away from galleries, and the search for affordable art in a rich man's playing field. Unlike most in the art world, Polsky is not afraid to tell it like it is as he negotiates deals for clients in New York, London, and San Francisco and seeks out a replacement for his lost Fright Wig in a market that has galloped beyond his means. A compelling backdoor tell-all about the strange and fickle world of art collecting, I Sold Andy Warhol (Too Soon) takes an unvarnished look at how the industry shifted from art appreciation to monetary appreciation.
In I Sold Andy Warhol (Too Soon), Polsky leads the way through this explosive, short-lived period when the "art world" became the "art market." He delves into the behind-the-scenes politics of auctions, the shift in power away from galleries, and the search for affordable art in a rich man's playing field. Unlike most in the art world, Polsky is not afraid to tell it like it is as he negotiates deals for clients in New York, London, and San Francisco and seeks out a replacement for his lost Fright Wig in a market that has galloped beyond his means. A compelling backdoor tell-all about the strange and fickle world of art collecting, I Sold Andy Warhol (Too Soon) takes an unvarnished look at how the industry shifted from art appreciation to monetary appreciation.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.3 out of 5 stars (10 customer reviews)
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A first rate exposé of the art world...and one hell of an entertaining read., Sep 24 2009
By David Engelson "Cogito, ergo sum." - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: I Sold Andy Warhol (Too Soon) (Hardcover)
It doesn't matter if you're an art aficionado or neophyte...this book will inform and entertain you at the same time. I would even recommend this book to anyone that just wants to read a great non-fiction book.When I started reading the book, I read the first 50 pages in the blink of an eye. I had to pace myself not to read the entire book all in one night...the book is that good.
Richard Polsky is like the "Robert Langdon" of the art world. He is an art dealer / adviser that has somehow done the impossible...unveiled the "other" side of the art world that most of us, if not all of us, have no idea even exists.
Anyone that has ever wondered how one acquires a piece of art, from a $1,000 local artist to a $1,000,000 Warhol, would be startled to realize what exactly goes on behind the scenes. Well, thanks to Mr. Polsky, now I know.
What I love most about this book is that it gives us an insightful look at the evolution of artists and their art, in every aspect, over the last 40+ years (from pop art's iconic Andy Warhol to modern artists like Damien Hirst)...to what high art has possibly become today, nothing more than another tradeable commodity.
What makes a painting worth $50,000,000? Is it its artistic value? Maybe. Is it because the color of the painting is what's in at the moment? Maybe. Is it a status symbol game between billionaires to see who can spend more? Maybe. Is it because it was marketed by an auction house that made the price go up? Maybe. Is it because a powerful art dealer floated a rumor that the painting is worth $50,000,000? Maybe.
After reading this book, I'm even more intrigued with the art world than I was before. Read this book. You'll love it.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
An interesting read for anyone who is interested in art, Nov 4 2009
By J. Hanna - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: I Sold Andy Warhol (Too Soon) (Hardcover)
This is a chatty, informative and even, at times, humorous look at the comings and goings in the world of selling and buying fine art. The author had one of the Andy Warhol "Fright Wig" paintings and he sold it at an auction for a price that completely satisfied him. Of course, in two years the painting was sold again for triple the price. Now it is worth in the millions. Hence the book's title.If you are not much interested in art I don't think you would enjoy this book. I liked it myself, but I teach Art History. Students often are amazed at the price of fine art and this books gives some very good background.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Well worth considering for art fans critical of the direction of the modern world of art, Dec 15 2009
By Midwest Book Review - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: I Sold Andy Warhol (Too Soon) (Hardcover)
Art has become a multimillion dollar business. "I Sold Andy Warhol (Too Soon)" is one man's reflections on the world of art and how it has quickly departed from admiring artistic expression to being all about the art on green paper we call money. Jaded, surprised, and disappointed, Richard Polsky tells what can be a sad tale of the commercialization of human creativity. "I Sold Andy Warhol:(Too Soon)" is a fine and recommended read that is well worth considering for art fans critical of the direction of the modern world of art.
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