Art doc. “The Price of Everything” Koons, Loons and Baboons

“The Price of Everything” is a behind the scenes art doc. that paints a caustic picture of a Ponzi like scheme that envelopes frenzied contemporary art sales; buy low sell high.  Director Nathaniel Kahn (“My Archictect”) uses a multi-colored pallette.  He blends artists, art dealers, collectors, curators & critics to create a glossy & engaging film that is flippant at the expense of art sellers and collectors.  Jeffrey Koons doesn’t see he’s being lampooned but he’s laughing all the way to the bank.  Amy Cappellazzo is Sotheby’s Fine Arts Chair.  She is the canvas on which Kahn layers on the art, artists and the good, bad & ugly of the business commodity the contemporary art market has morphed into.  Cappelozzo is captured at Sotheby’s, in her limo and within wealthy client’s condo conversing like a wolf on Wall Street.  She said there are 3 types of people “Those who see, those who only see when they’re shown and those who will never see.”  She’s pompous & hypocritical, “People know greatness when they see it.”   Cappelozzo drives the narrative at the speed of a Sotheby’s auctioneer.  The artistic integrity inherent in the doc. is derived from the painter Larry Poons.  “People thought he was dead but that wasn’t his fault.”  Poons gained fame early for his “ minimalist dot paintings”.  Poon’s years of obscurity can be attributed to his commitment to creativity not the gimmick of repitivity.  Poons wry wisdom brings both humor & gravitas to the preponderance of art and its intrinsic rather than monetary value.  Painter Marilyn Minter’s candor was hilarious.  Gerhard Richter is befuddled by the exorbitant prices his paintings bring in, “They’re nice, but they’re not a house.”  Collector Stefan Ellis’ epitimozies the capricious self-indulgence of the wealthy 1% for whom the 99% will find ridiculous & repugnant.  And,  art critic Jerry Saltz brings some sanity to the scarcity driven art world.  “The Price of Everything” is coated in shellac that reflects a shameless lack of passion for art but rather a passion for the art of the deal.  That’s not to say the film documentary is not worth watching.  Delving into this elitist & exclusive art world is priceless.