"A million dollars for illustration is really a generous sum. In fact, my illustrations are quite good."
Uncle Sakai rubbed his hands on one side and sighed with envy in his tone.
That's a million dollars.
Although his fine works can sell for millions of dollars, it depends on the subject matter and time cost.
Previously, the Tokyo Tourism Bureau had cooperated with relevant museums and wanted Kazunari Sakai to imitate the style of the Edo period and paint a complete set of ukiyo-e for tourist destinations such as Tokyo Tower, Sensoji Temple, Tokyo National Museum, and the Imperial Palace as a way to welcome the Olympics. Cultural promotion.
Tokyo is a very rich city, even a monster.
At its peak, the GDP of its urban metropolitan areas was close to 200 trillion yen, which was almost equivalent to half of the African continent, or the combined economic size of all African countries except South Africa.
Therefore, the asking price is quite generous. The total price of the entire project is as high as 3 billion yen, which is approximately 23 million U.S. dollars.
It created a record of the highest funding for Tokyo official to hire a major artist.
But that is a whole set of hundreds of ukiyo-e paintings.
Sakai Kazunari estimates that it will be ten years before the project is completely completed and the money is fully received.
Compared with oil paintings, Chinese paintings, and Ukiyo-e paintings, it is much easier to draw a small illustration.
"What's so exciting?"
Komatsu Taro held a handbag of Yangon-style sugar cane milk tea in his hand and squeezed through the crowd in the distance.
Today, after having dinner with Professor Sakai and his family, accompanied by an interpreter from the Yangon Tourism Department, they prepared to go out to visit the calligraphy and painting night market.
Myanmar's calligraphy and painting industry is relatively famous in Southeast Asia, and Yangon is the largest city in Myanmar and the center of contemporary art.
The calligraphy and painting night market here is similar to Panjiayuan in Dongxia Capital.
Compared to a serious gallery, this place is more like a street stall-style tourist street, which is much more friendly to the people.
There are not only various shops, but also various stalls selling snacks and drinks, which has a lively atmosphere.
The calligraphy and painting market is a mixed bag of good and bad people. Komatsu Taro and the others just came here casually to take a look around, mainly for sightseeing and relaxing.
He had just gone to buy a drink from a stall on the side. At this time, he saw everyone in the Sakai family gathered around their mobile phones, discussing some interesting news.
"We were able to invite De Jong Vandoorne, who is a big name in the illustration industry today. Zara (clothing brand) has co-produced many clothes with him. I also have a T-shirt designed by him."
Tsunamasa Sakai looked at a name on a Twitter page.
As someone who knows a lot about art and fashion brands, he immediately recognized Van Doorn’s name.
Van Doorn is a cross-border illustrator. Not only is he good at illustration, he is also very famous in the fashion circle.
It is said that he has maintained a good personal friendship with the editor-in-chief of the famous fashion godfather magazine "VOGUE".
Even several of Van Doorn's ex-girlfriends are super models who have walked in Paris Fashion Week.
"Senior Fan Dorn... He is actually more selling an aesthetic concept. Although he is famous,... I doubt that the audience can understand his art?"
Katsuko Sakai recalled the artistic style of artist De Jong Van Doorn and pursed her lips.
Although illustration does not have a clear school of painting like oil painting, this master illustration was obviously influenced by the avant-garde art field represented by Marcel Duchamp.
If he must be classified, he can probably be classified as a Dadaist painter.
How would you rate this artistic school?
It's just casual.
Even to this day, people don't know where the word "dada" comes from or why it is called this name.
Duchamp, the godfather of Dadaism, is certainly a landmark figure in the history of art, but not everyone can appreciate his pioneering artistic style.
How casual is his artistic style?
Duchamp once drew a goatee with a pencil on Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece "Mona Lisa" and wrote "LHOOQ" (pronounced Elleachaudaucul, meaning "her ass is hot") underneath.
If that wasn't crazy enough, Duchamp once bought a urinal and signed his name on it, making it a work of art.
This is probably the most famous urinal in modern art history.
Famous national museums such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art in the United States and the Musée Maiillo in France are still proud to own an official replica of Duchamp's urinal.
"I'm worried for Fan Dorn-senpai."
Sakai Katsuko shook her head: "If I hadn't, I might not have the courage to participate in such a challenging competition."
"An illustrator of Van Doorn's style doesn't care how many people like him or how many people criticize him. This is avant-gardism."
Uncle Sakai touched his chin.
"This is a proposition illustration, not a set of hundreds of creative illustrations. $100,000 is a lot. I am not surprised that Van Dorn was invited. After all, he is still active in the illustration circle."
"Furthermore, no matter how pioneering he is, Van Dorn is one of the best illustrators in the world today. His experience in drawing illustrations with the smoothness of his pen is not something that unknown illustrators can match. No matter how bad he is, it can't be any different. Go, but I didn’t expect—”
Professor Sakai shook his head, looking at Jane Arnold's name and the long list of titles representing honors, the four layers of fat on his chin shook violently.
"Even old Jane Arnold was willing to put pen to paper."
"Although except for the works of a few people, the artistic value of illustrations is not as good as other types of paintings, but in terms of influence, Mr. Lao can be said to be a painter of the same order as Mr. Cao."
Whether it is De Jong Van Doorn or Jane Arnold, they are both truly great painters.
DeJon Vandoorne has drawn posters for Pixar Animation Studio and designed clothes for ZARA (fashion brand).
The illustration "Environmental Protection of the Polar Region" he created has become the official illustration of the International Snow Environmental Protection Organization and has been printed in countless textbooks.
As for Jane Arnold.
If we say that Van Dorn is still limited to cross-border art.
This old painter was born during the Cold War, and he has transcended his status as a simple painter.
He is a famous international pacifist.
Not only has he been personally interviewed by the leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union, and appeared in Time Magazine, but his illustrations are extremely warm, with master-level precise brushwork and childlike innocence, warm and loving.
He is even a recipient of the International Andersen Medal.
This is the highest honor in the world of children's literature and will only be awarded to outstanding writers and painters for children around the world.
It’s the Nobel Prize for children’s illustration.
This is a world class artist.
"I estimate that this video will undoubtedly cause an earthquake in the circle."
He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.
Van Dorn and Jane Arnold, the powerful collision between two generations of artists, is a visual effect like Mars hitting the Earth.
Even if Uncle Sakai is not a professional illustrator.
As an outstanding worker in the art field, Uncle Sakai was already sweating with excitement.
"Do any of you want the inside scoop?"
Komatsu Taro distributed the drinks to everyone and said while lowering his head and pressing the phone.
"Can you contact Mr. Jane Arnold?"
Uncle Sakai was surprised when he heard this and asked, rubbing his fourth round chin.
Even the Sakai siblings looked at Komatsu with curious expressions.
Although Uncle Sakai is also a great painter and has a wide network of contacts in the calligraphy and painting circles, he has a specialization in the art and is still not comparable to someone who opens a large gallery professionally.
The countless agents and headhunters they have are paid high salaries, and that’s what they do.
It is said that an art godfather of Gagosian's level could get the mobile phone number of any painter he wanted to contact within fifteen minutes.
That is to say, the information about informal art competitions held by super internet celebrities like [Mr. Hyperion] is somewhat limited.
If it were a serious art exhibition, all kinds of inside information would have been leaking out before the exhibition officially opened.
Will any blockbuster works appear?
Which newcomers do curators rate highly?
You can also use past art styles and the theme of this exhibition to judge which well-known artist is more likely to produce masterpieces...
Time is money, and information is money.
Painter connections, golf buddies, beauty traps, industrial espionage, or the simplest and most simple method of hiring a tabloid reporter and paparazzi to look through the surrounding trash cans to see if they can get any official documents.
In order to get first-hand information, the inside story can be called a spy drama.
All kinds of information have long been circulated among galleries and buyers.
The contacts that should be made, the contacts that should be made, the potential new painters should be signed as soon as possible before they become famous.
As for those who really can't get signed, or those coquettish bitches working for rival galleries, then hire art critics as soon as possible and prepare to criticize them.
These are the professional qualities of an agent.
You move so slowly that you can't even keep up with the hot shit you eat.
"That...may not be possible."
Komatsu Taro shook his head, although he was happy to show off his art connections in front of the Sakai family.
But Komatsu Gallery is not a super giant like Gagosian, he is just the young owner of the gallery.
Jane Arnold is still too high-end.
Even Mr. Van Dorn, if he wants to contact the other party, his father will probably have to come forward in person.
"I got a professor from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, a good friend of Ms. Louise, to tell you some big news. She is full of confidence in her work."
Taro Komatsu said with a mysterious face: "This time she chose a colored pencil drawing, and it is in a realistic style."
“Realistic colored pencil drawing?”
Professor Sakai thought for a while, nodded, and affirmed the other party's approach.
"Uncommon...well, smart, really smart...Although it's a bit flattering...but...well...this is probably the painting method that is most pleasing to the general audience."
"It seems that a dark horse may appear in this exhibition."
