“The Price of Everything” (Kanopy or HBO Max)

Don’t miss this fascinating and slightly repugnant documentary about the global art world. The title is based on a line in an Oscar Wilde play: [ the people who know] “the price of everything and the value of nothing”. I know there are people with sums of money far beyond my ken, but actually “meeting” them and hearing them describe $10 million as a bargain for a particular piece of art is still an eye-opener! It gives a bit of an historical perspective on art-as-investment plus interviews with an array of artists whose names you will recognize. You’ll see a lot of Jeff Koons, who as it turns out (surprise!surprise!) was a commodities broker before he turned his salesmanship to his art. But the film has its heroes too and I found myself rooting for people like Larry Poons who remained true to his art into old age and has recently been rediscovered. As usual, let me know your thoughts about the film and its topic.