Movie spotlight
Pistoletto & Sotheby's
This film represents an encounter with several major icons of the history of western painting, "while attempting"–as the filmmaker says–"to always create a link between art and life, an impertinence with respect to those images that the production of works of documentation [books and magazines] brought to the attention of everyone for the first time." Reclaiming art history in a performative, playful way and evoking the tradition of tableau vivant, Pistoletto with his daughters Cristina and Maria Pioppi "act out" in a series of little scenes: Orpheus and Eurydice, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Raphael, Chaim Soutine, James Ensor, Edgar Degas, Vincent Van Gogh.
Insights
Plot Summary
This short film documents the groundbreaking event where Michelangelo Pistoletto's "Venus of the Rags" was put up for auction at Sotheby's in London in 1968. It captures the unique intersection of contemporary art, the art market, and the artist's direct involvement.
Critical Reception
As a documentary capturing a specific art historical moment rather than a narrative film, 'Pistoletto & Sotheby's' is primarily evaluated by its historical significance and documentation value. It is recognized for its role in illustrating the growing market acceptance and valuation of conceptual and arte povera art.
What Reviewers Say
Offers a unique glimpse into a pivotal moment in contemporary art's relationship with the market.
Documents the auction of a seminal work, highlighting the artist's presence.
Provides historical context for the commercialization of avant-garde art.
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Fun Fact
The auction of Pistoletto's 'Venus of the Rags' at Sotheby's in 1968 was one of the earliest instances of a major contemporary artwork being sold at a prominent international auction house, signaling a shift in how the art market engaged with living artists and experimental practices.
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