Latest news with #JacksonPollock
New York Times
5 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
After Not Paying for $14.5 Million Pollock, an Art Collector Is Sued
In a rare dispute that divulges how some artworks worth extraordinary sums of money are sold, an auction house has sued the scion of a sugar fortune after he failed to pay the $14.5 million he had promised for a Jackson Pollock white-on-black drip painting. Nobody bid on the Pollock during the live auction in November. But in an increasingly common practice, Phillips Auctioneers had previously received a financial commitment from the scion, David Mimran, as a third-party guarantor. Those agreements help auction houses lure expensive artwork by guaranteeing a sale and act as a kind of insurance policy for the seller. Third-party guarantors agree to buy a painting or sculpture at a set minimum price if it does not sell for more at auction. If the sale goes above that price, the guarantor typically receives a percentage of the upside. That exact percentage is tailored to the agreement, which is usually confidential. 'It's becoming a tactic that a lot of art collectors are using essentially to make some quick money,' said Mari-Claudia Jiménez, a partner and founder of Withers Art and Advisory. 'If they guarantee something that they suspect is going to do very well, they can profit quite handsomely.' A lawyer for Mr. Mimran, a film producer and the son of the sugar baron Jean-Claude Mimran, declined to comment. Luke Nikas, a lawyer representing Phillips, said in a statement, 'If Mimran didn't have a dollar to his name to pay for the artwork, as he claims, then he shouldn't have raised a paddle.' The untitled Pollock, which was created circa 1948 and displayed at the Museum of Modern Art in a 1998 retrospective, uses oil, enamel, pebbles and cutouts on paper mounted on Masonite. In its auction catalog, Phillips describes the 31-by-23-inch painting as 'an optically dazzling composition, punctuated by cutout shapes, and emerging from an explosive period of creativity and newfound sobriety.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Motor 1
13-07-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
‘Slap a Oreo Sticker and Call it a Collab:' Woman Test-Drives Brand-New Black Toyota Tacoma. Then She Runs Over White Paint
A woman test-driving a Toyota Tacoma inadvertently gave the pickup a custom accent job after running over a can of white paint. Yuriko Grijalva (@yurikogrijalva) posted a viral TikTok showcasing the aftermath of her experience in the Tacoma. Grijalva's video begins with a recording of a black Toyota Tacoma that appears to be in pristine condition. That is, save for the flecks of white paint on its front driver's side bumper and tire. However, as the TikToker pans further along the side of the vehicle's body, the horror begins to set in. The paint isn't just restricted to this singled-out area of the car. A gob of white paint caps the tip of the Tacoma's step bar, with a splattered flourish of ivory speckled beneath Tacoma signage. Grijalva's lens continues to travel across the Tacoma, revealing that the paint made its way onto the rear tire, along with the underside of its back wheel well. Finally, the tip of the exhaust was shown to also be rocking some white paint. She explains in an on-screen caption why the pickup ended up looking like Jackson Pollock collaborated with the Japanese auto manufacturer: 'When you go test drive the new Tacoma and run over a white paint can.' Who Is Responsible for Damage During a Test Drive? Some folks may feel their heart sink just thinking about being in Grijalva's shoes. However, Legal Clarity states that test drivers behind the wheel of a dealership vehicle are generally covered under 'secondary coverage.' This means that in many cases, any damage sustained to a ride is largely covered by the dealership itself. That's because, as Legal Clarity puts it, a car seller 'must carry 'garage liability insurance' to protect their vehicle[s].' It appears there are some online outlets, however, that aren't as confident as Legal Clarity that the dealership is going to handle the repair bill for damage to a new ride. The Sun reported a story about a woman who took a 2019 Kia Forte home to assess whether or not it would fit inside her driveway. When she brought the car back to the dealership, it was covered in scratches. Ultimately, she was found at fault for the damages and was on the hook for $1,000. The car seller from that story said he spotted the woman at a gas station in a brand new Fiat that had similar scratches on its backside. She incurred the same exact damage to the car, but this time, she elected to purchase the vehicle, presumably because she didn't want to drop another band in repairs without coming home with a ride. The Sun went on to say that drivers who find themselves in an accident during a test drive should treat it like any other accident. Notify the police and 'exchange insurance details if another party is involved,' the outlet writes. When Are Test Drivers at Fault? While the legal-focused website indicates dealerships are often the go-to with insurance claim coverage, this isn't always the case. For instance, if a driver was found guilty of gross negligence while testing out the vehicle—say they were under the influence or texting and driving—they could find themselves on the hook for damages. Additionally, these rules differ greatly if you're test-driving a car from a private seller. In these instances, insurance claims tend to function as they would in a typical road accident, sans dealer. Legal Clarity says, 'the private seller's auto insurance is the primary coverage.' That's because, as the web page indicates, 'the insurance follows the car.' If that private seller's 'policy does not extend to other drivers' or the damages exceed the policy's limits, then the test driver's insurance will likely be engaged to cover remaining costs, the site says. also notes that a test driver's 'own car insurance transfers to the vehicle [they] … are test driving. So whatever coverage [they] have in place … will typically apply to the car… [they] are test driving.' Commenters Sound Off Folks who replied to Grijalva's video had varying opinions on her paint fiasco. One person argued that she could use the white-speckled paint job to argue for a lowered price. 'Now you can buy it for 5k less pay a detailer 300$ to remove it,' they said. Whereas another remarked that she shouldn't feel bad for the dealership. 'It's fine the markup on that thing is high enough to cover a detail 40x over,' they wrote. Someone else speculated the car seller intentionally set the paint can up in a way so that Grijalva hit the can and felt compelled to buy it. 'Definitely a set up for sure bro,' they said. Another echoed the aforementioned sentiment, 'It's a set up! They did it.' Whereas someone else quipped, 'Congratulations on your new purchase love the accent color.' Motor1 has reached out to Grijalva via email for further information. Now Trending 'Why Did They Do This?': Car Salesman Checks Over Buick Cascada. Then He's Taken Aback by Its Unusual Trunk Design 'Sometimes That Stand Will Tilt:' Veteran Mechanic Says You're Using Jack Stands Incorrectly. Then He Shows How to Do It Right Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
NZ Herald
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Ed Sheeran makes a splash with debut collection of Jackson Pollock-esque paintings
British pop star Ed Sheeran has swapped a microphone for paint brushes, with the fruits of his endeavours to go on display later this week, the London gallery exhibiting his works confirmed Wednesday. The abstract pieces -- colourful Jackson Pollock -esque paintings and
The Guardian
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Ed Sheeran's Pollock homage has energy but no feeling or truth
One thing is obvious about Ed Sheeran the painter: he doesn't want to ruin his clothes. He paints in a white protective suit, photos reveal, as if paint was radioactive material or sewage. It's a telling contrast with a real artist like Jenny Saville, who gets completely covered with paint like a naughty three-year-old, let alone Van Gogh, who ate the stuff. Sheeran isn't claiming to be one of those artists – is he? He's in it for fun and charity. And his paintings have more energy than you'd think from the prissy hazmat suit. He must have moved about a bit, flicking and pouring the fizzy greenish blues, hot orange, lime, mixing them as if making cocktails. But there's a problem. While he has successfully defeated plagiarism claims regarding his songs, he would have no defence from the Jackson Pollock estate. His art is, let's be polite, one big homage to the abstract expressionist painter who turned modern art on its head, showing that the body could see more than the mind with his hurled lines of flowing, tangled colours created in dance-like moves around horizontal canvases. Sheeran is right to love Pollock. But it's cocksure and stupid to think you can reproduce his genius on your days off because, you know, it looks pretty easy. It wasn't. This is where celebrity artists get it wrong: they think art is fun but art is suffering and madness. A Sheeran splash may ape a Pollock splash but there's no feeling, no truth. Pollock put his inside self on canvas, luring you into a web of mental suffering and triumph. Abstract art like Sheeran's gives all abstract art a bad name because it's based on the dumb idea that doing your own is a breeze. I have more respect for Ronnie Wood and Bob Dylan who attempt figurative paintings: you can mock but at least they take a risk in doing the kind of art people are quick to judge. Sheeran's art is a slick con job. In painting his light, meaningless abstract concoctions, he avoids proper scrutiny and dips a toe into art without putting himself on the line. What a pro, even when he is an amateur.
Telegraph
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Ed Sheeran to sell Pollock-style paintings for £900
Ed Sheeran will be selling prints of the Jackson Pollock-style paintings made in his 'downtime' for just over £900 each. The Grammy award-winning singer, 34, has pledged to donate half the funds from his abstract artwork towards his charitable foundation. Announcing the sale, Sheeran told The Guardian he had used painting as his 'creative outlet' since the end of his 2019 Divide tour. 'When I was growing up, both of my parents worked in art, so I've naturally always been interested in it,' the Shape of You singer said. His style of painting, which has been compared to that of Pollock, the American abstract expressionist giant, is said to be inspired by 'celestial patterns'. The works, titled the Cosmic Carpark Paintings and created using household paint, will be displayed at the Heni Gallery – the company that represents Damien Hirst – in London from July 11 to Aug 1. Fifty per cent of the proceeds will be donated to The Ed Sheeran Foundation, dedicated to supporting music education in schools and grassroots organisations. Painting in Soho carpark Explaining how he got into the medium, Sheeran said: 'I was back and forth on tour last year, and I used a lot of my downtime in the UK to paint. I'd run to a disused car park in Soho each morning, paint, then run home and I'd do that daily until I headed back out on tour again.' The paintings have titles such as Unfolding Cosmos and Starlight Canvas Dream. Sheeran has previously donated another painting to a charity auction, where it sold for £40,000. The musician has also created the covers for several of his albums in the past, including the blue spin painting on 2017's Divide, which was created in Hirst's studio, and for his 2021 single Afterglow. His personal collection includes work by Harland Miller, the Yorkshire writer and artist known for his large Penguin book-inspired art. 'I have pretty much the most provocative word prominently displayed in my home,' Sheeran said, adding: 'My dad said as long as you enjoy art, you never lose.' The singer's announcement of the sale of his artwork comes after he led calls for the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, to commit £250 million of government funding to music education. The campaign was backed by Coldplay, Harry Styles and Sir Elton John among 500 other figures in the industry. In an open letter, Sheeran wrote: 'As an industry, we bring in £7.6 billion to the UK economy, yet the next generation is not there to take the reins. Last year was the first in over 20 years without a UK global Top 10 single or album in the charts. 'The time to act is now. State schools, which educate 93 per cent of the country's children, have seen a 21 per cent decrease in music provision. 'We collectively ask for a £250 million UK music education package this spring to repair decades of dismantling music. Music in and out of school should be for all, not a few.'
