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Over the course of the past six months, several readers have requested more modern artwork. I am happy today to be able to present a work by a very contemporary Thai artist, DuanPen.
1. DuanPen is only 9 years old, but she’s already making a name for herself in the art world. Her abstract pointillist paintings sell for $500 to $750, on average. Her paintings were exhibited in the Kawamura Art Museum in Japan and in galleries in America and England.
2. Although DuanPen’s parents are not artists, there are several other artists of varying ages living in her community. In 2005, when she was only 6 years old, DuanPen collaborated with seven of the other artists on a 6 meter by 2.4 meter landscape painting, “Cold Wind, Swirling Mist, Charming Lanna Number One,” which sold for $39,000.
3. DuanPen has received training from two internationally known Russian artists, Vitaly Komar and Alex Melamid, the artists behind the “People’s Choice” project. For “People’s Choice,” project workers telephoned people to conduct surveys to determine countries’ “most wanted” and “most unwanted” paintings. The American “most wanted” was a mid-sized autumnal landscape with people relaxing and animals frolicking, while the “most unwanted” was a small abstract painting of geometrical forms.
4. In Thai, DuanPen means “full moon month,” which suits the mischievous personality of DuanPen, who’s known for making funny faces.
5. DuanPen’s works are not titled, just numbered. Shown above is CV0003.
‘Feel Art Again’ appears every Tuesday and Thursday.
I consider myself a pretty open minded person, but modern art is something that I’ve just never cared for. I know that some people like it and think that it has meaning to it, but I just don’t understand. I use to make “paintings” like that all the time when I was little. Why didn’t I get paid $700 for them? I hate to be closed minded about it, but all it is is a bunch of paint randomly thrown onto a canvas and sold for more than it’s worth. If anyone would care to share their opinion on why they think this painting has meaning to it, I would defnintly listen with an open mind, because I am very interested to understand.
posted by Tara on 4-1-2008 at 8:09 am
My parents had wallpaper in a guest bathroom that looked just like this painting back in the 80’s.
posted by Dan on 4-1-2008 at 8:32 am
Elephants are awesome :D
posted by Han on 4-1-2008 at 8:38 am
Did you forget to mention that DuanPen is an elephant? How cool is that!! :)
posted by Bethy on 4-1-2008 at 9:06 am
That painting looks almost exactly like the faux finish I painted on one of my bedroom walls. I did just slap some paint on the wall very randomly to get the effect. It was so easy to do. I didn’t even buy any new paint, I just used paint that was left over from my other rooms. If I put it on a canvas I wonder if I can get $500. for it?
posted by kani on 4-1-2008 at 9:24 am
Tara,
Being someone who has always liked abstract, modern, and contemporary art, I have a hard time understanding how anyone could NOT like it. To me, realistic art has become a lot less meaningful since the invention of the camera. A lot of it is still beautiful, but it’s not exciting to me. What is exciting is looking at something that appears to be a blue square at first glance, but then examining it and seeing all the little nuances and details (which may or may not have been put there on purpose). Many contemporary artists have years of training, and there is a lot of thought put into each brush stroke and composition. But I do think it’s possible for a child’s drawing to be just as valid as a painting in a museum. I look at my 2 year old niece’s paintings with the same awe at which I’d look at a Picasso.
As for these paintings being sold for more than they’re worth - well, worth (as well as beauty) is in the eye of the beholder. To me, a Playstation isn’t worth the plastic it’s covered in, but I’d pay hundreds of dollars for a painting that inspired me.
To each his/her own, I guess!
(Andrea - this is my favorite Feel Art Again so far! Thank you!)
posted by Molly on 4-1-2008 at 9:25 am
Oh wait, I just realized today is April 1! You broke into my house, took a picture of my wall, made up the fake bio and posted it. Good one!
posted by kani on 4-1-2008 at 9:27 am
You forgot to mention that Duanpen doesn’t use hands to hold the paintbrush. She uses her trunk.
Actually, that’s a very serene and peaceful picture.
posted by Hannah on 4-1-2008 at 10:09 am
I’m Thai so I’m just glad to see this here. Even if it is a pachyderm. :)
posted by Anna on 4-1-2008 at 10:23 am