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Got a spare £85? Get yourself a bit of Pablo.
Other | Wednesday 16th October 2013 | Alex
“One art, please!” was the cry from Dr. John Zoidberg in episode 16 of the Fourth series of Futurama entitled Three Hundred Big Boys. You may be wondering why this reference came to mind, well, now you too can make the cry of Zoidberg in your pursuit of a piece of art. Picasso’s 1914 work, “Man with Opera Hat” with an estimated value of £675,000, could be above your fireplace for as little as £85.
The idea to raffle off this particular piece was the brainchild of wannabe international playboy, Olivier Picasso, Pablo’s grandson and all-around dodgy guy. Basically, the plan is to raise around €5,000,000(£4,250,000) for the preservation of Tyre, Lebanon, by selling off 50,000 raffle tickets at €100 (£85). Tyre has been through immense hardships and was damaged to a huge extent during the late ‘70s and early ‘80s thanks to the war between Israel and Palestine. Now, Olivier Picasso is trying his hardest to help. Aww, shucks, Oli.
A Picasso is the prize in a raffle to help the war-damaged Lebanese city of Tyre http://t.co/MYNGIgFQQs
— artnet (@artnet) September 12, 2013
It’s quite a benevolent move, actually. It isn’t often that the idea of art and charity are combined in a manner such as this but Rachel Campbell-Johnston, The Times Chief Art Critic, thinks that “It’s a gimmick. It’s to raise money for charity.” So, don’t expect to see the Mona Lisa becoming the subject of a Lowest Unique Bidder auction for the RSPCA or anyone playing Bingo for Dali’s The Persistence of Memory to save the Red Squirrels.
However, at the price of one of these raffle tickets, is it really a hat that anyone would be completely willing to throw their names into? I don’t £85 spare on the off chance that I am the chosen one and 49,999 others aren’t. The price seems low enough to consider, but high enough to not be a realistic option. Simply put, it’s a raffle that may whet the appetite of the more financially destitute amongst us yet only a viable option for an affluent socialite or eccentric millionaire.
Tyre desperately needs the funds as this is a city which holds an incredible amount of history and architectural beauty that it would a crime to let it disintegrate. Of course, the target sum will be reached (Picasso’s a fairly big name in the art community, don’t you know) and Tyre will receive the aid it needs and another wealthy aristocrat will have something to show that they are, indeed, a wealthy aristocrat.
This is a cool idea to be able to raise a significant number of funds but would more tickets at a lower cost have brought in as much interest? That remains to be seen. In the meantime: well done, Oli. You’ve annoyed a fair few family members but it’s an admirable move, even if it’s got your name on the front page of most culture sections today.
Alex Taylor https://twitter.com/alextaylor18
