ArtReview magazine has published the 2008 Power 100 listThe ArtReview Power 100 list for 2008 had many of the usual faces. Damien Hirst, Jay Jopling, Jeff Koons… and so on. However, the 100th position is an oddity to say the least-- even as far as humor is concerned. Some readers may recall that in 2006 ArtReview placed Google in the 100th slot. That choice was kind of amusing, but at least Google has played a role in the art world. Apparently ArtReview felt that Thomas Kinkade, Mr. Painter of Light, deserved some sunshine of a different nature this year. I realize that ArtReview has some fun with their annual Power 100 list, but the choice of Thomas Kinkade? Thomas Kinkade! To think that all this time I thought Kinkade's reach was limited to the home shopping crowd and crowded yard sales. Wow.
It burns! It burns us!
Links of Interest:
www.artreview.com
www.thomaskinkade.com
Take care, Stay true,
Brian Sherwin
Senior Editor
www.myartspace.com
4 comments:
Just who coined that phrase,
"Thomas Kinkade, Painter of light"?
I want to be known as the "Painter of Darkness" then.
actually someone else coined the term years before kinkade. not only is his art cheezy but the style and label "painter of light" was done by another guy. seriously, the original guys paintings look like kincan't and he used the term painter of light. i forget the guys name but knew a guy that knew THE guy.
Is Thomas Kinkade not a artist? Did I miss something? If he likes to paint cottages by a stream then what's the problem? I like his paintings. I think it's elitist to say that artist have to fall into this brooding, alway's doing something diffrent or edgy adittude. He paints what he likes and is successfull, I like it and think it's good for art.
Hi Wendy, I dislike his practice and the way he exploits faith in order to market his work. Not to mention his bad business practices.
Yes, he has made a lot of money, but he has also jerked some of his investors around. That is fact. That is documented. He has lost court cases over the issue. That reveals that he is not the man that millions believe him to be. Thus, that makes his practice kitsch beyond the work itself.
Someone recently pointed out to me that he did make a small mark in the mainstream art world within a short frame of time. However, that was several years ago. So he would have been better off on the list at that time. Right now he is not on the mainstream art world radar as near as I can tell.
I did not say that art has to be brooding or edgy. With that said, I doubt very much that the QVC grannies know that he is a vulgar drunk or that he is a bit touchy feely in some situations. My opinion is that he paints what he knows he can market by waving a religious banner that he fails to live up to.
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