In a twist strangely echoed by the actor’s recent art-world novel An Object of Beauty, Der Spiegel reports that Steve Martin is the victim of a German art forgery ring. Martin purchased what he thought was Heinrich Campendonk’s “Landscape With Horses” (1915) for $850,000. Turns out, the painting was from an art collections devised by a group of German swindlers caught in 2010, the newspaper writes.
Steve Martin
Posted inBooks
Steve Martin Attempts to Skewer the Art World & Fails
You may know Steve Martin from being one of our time’s defining comedians, actors and celebrity figures. But along with those first few titles, the man is also a renowned collector of contemporary art, as well as a novelist and a playwright. These pursuits could be called hobbies if they didn’t require quite so much dedication. Martin’s An Object of Beauty (2010), his third novel, attempts to combine the actor’s sidelines in writing and art into a narrative showpiece that aims a satirical skewer at the art world. Unfortunately, the punch never lands. Object of Beauty is too simplistic and editorializing for an art world-savvy audience and too limping for readers just looking for a punchy narrative.
Posted inOpinion
Required Reading Debuts
Mary Louise Schumacher on Steve Martin’s art world novel — Carolina Miranda on the “new shape of street art” in ARTnews — “Smithsonian” of Arab art in Qatar — Filip Dujardin’s architectural remixes — Star Wars Modern blogs on art and technology
Posted inOpinion
Steve Martin, Stella, Fairey & Serrano on Colbert Report
I can’t remember the last time so many bold faced art names were on mainstream television. Last night, Stephen Colbert tried to convince well-known art collector Steve Martin to buy his René Magritte-like portrait but it wasn’t an easy sell. Colbert soon marched on some major artists to make it more enticing. As he said, Stella declared it art, Fairey recontextualized it, Serrano added controversy, and Colbert even added Martin’s image but still no sale. The segment is a funny and clever way to introduce some artists to a mass audience that may not be familiar with their work. For that, Colbert gets an A++. Click thru to watch the segment.
Posted inOpinion
Steve Martin Gives His Own Refund For 92Y
I am offering to erase my signature from signed books at 92nd St. Y.
Steve Martin
SteveMartinToGo
Reacting to the refunding of tickets to the actor’s conversation with Deborah Solomon held at 92Y, Steve Martin has offered to erase his name from books he signed at the community center.
