My kitchen is full of sunflowers. After we broke the gig, Tristan and I rolled home late in an uber XL and filled the boot with as many of the decorative garlands as we could carry. When he woke up this morning and left he only took a few. So I’ve been trying to find new homes for the ones left. Many of my neighbours now have a few stems. I took some across London with me when I met a friend in order to brainstorm some writing projects coming up. I’ll be taking the rest to Brighton with me tomorrow.
I was feeling pretty rough today. I haven’t had a hangover for a while, but that was definitely happening. I was dizzy all morning. I’m starting to feel normal again now and it’s one in the morning. Time for chamomile tea and bed.
This evening was spent looking at art. Just over the river from me, my nephew is directing The Affordable Art Fair in Battersea Park. Bloody well done him. I went to have a look around and see if I wanted to buy anything.
Last time I went to The Affordable Art Fair I was a little disappointed that the only things I could afford were the prints and they weren’t on display. I wondered about the name of the fair. Going there again I get it a bit more. You have to put a price tag on an artist’s work because the value is subjective. In any subjective medium, the value of the artist is partly determined by how highly the artist values themselves. Stated value largely determines perceived value.
Much of the affordable art I saw was a grand or more. I was still open to splashing out for something I liked, but even though they say that paintings hold their value, my experience of selling them second hand at auction doesn’t correlate. Most of my most disappointing sales have been of paintings. It has led me to a place where I’m definitely not going to buy a piece of art unless I really love it. This evening, on a brief foray, I saw lots of art that I liked, but nothing that grabbed me by the balls. Likely I’ll go back again on Sunday and I’m not out of the race. I’m cautious. I’m not gonna buy something because I think it’ll be an investment. But I remember a girlfriend of mine buying a painting that I bet she still loves, and I imagine it has held its value too. She had it over her bed. If something strikes me that much maybe I’ll have a punt. Although I have so many paintings still stacked under my kitchen table. Disappointing sales meant I stopped pushing them, either in auction houses or online. There’s no point working out the artist’s name and then researching them and writing a spiel and then ending up having to send an awkward package via Hermes because somebody snagged it for the minimum. If I hung them all up you wouldn’t be able to see the walls here. They can’t stay under my table forever. I don’t need any more art.
At least the sunflowers are ephemeral. They’re pretty for now. They’ll do.
AlBarclay 