AN INTERVIEW WITH THE ARTIST FOR SOCIETY 6.

MR. de AGUSTIN, WHY IS YOUR ART SOOOOOOOOOOOO EXPENSIVE COMPARED WITH THE OTHER ART HERE?

Indubitably, there is only one answer to this question. Why is other people’s art here soooooooooooooo cheap?

YOU KNOW, ANY ONE OF YOUR IMAGES CAN BE COPY-PASTED FOR NOTHING. THE QUALITY MAY NOT BE AS GOOD BUT IT'S FREE.

Someone can do that and they’ll have a nice postcard. That’s what they’ll have, not my work. You can do the same with an image of Andy Warhol’s Marilyn. You don’t have a Warhol.

WAIT, ARE YOU COMPARING YOURSELF TO WARHOL!

With rare exception do I say one artist is better than another. Those exceptions: Rembrandt is the greatest artist since the guy who painted the Altamira Cave bison; Rothko is the greatest since Rembrandt; Lucian Freud, the best since Rothko. I wasn’t comparing myself with Warhol despite that we’re all a bit Andy now. I’m saying that if your acquisition does not come through the artist at some point in the continuum, you do not own the artist’s work.

WHY ARE YOUR PIECES SO SMALL?

I haven’t run out of room yet.

YOUR PIECES DON'T HAVE A LOT OF LIKES.

I get likes from those who appreciate good stuff. Besides, it’s okay if someone doesn’t like or value my work. People’s purpose isn’t to like what you happen to do. Have you noticed everyone is an artist today? You can be indiscriminate and like it all or none or 1%, it’s not about the art, it’s about the person and the people thinking about the thing they’re thinking over. In fact the art is secondary to how you happen to feel.

WHY DON’T YOU HAVE YOUR WORK ON MUGS, T-SHIRTS, SHOWER CURTAINS, AND OTHER UTENSILS?

When Jeff Koons comes out with a $20MM shower curtain, I’ll be able to price mine properly.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF ART TODAY?

I think art has escaped oppression, become free. Now only man’s mind remains fearful and enslaved. It’s taken thousands of years for art’s liberation. The first showing the way, it will take the second less time; maybe only another thousand years, if ever.

DO YOU SIGN YOUR PIECES?

I sign only a single piece of a title. I sign the piece for the buyer in New York City over breakfast at the Loews Regency Hotel on Park. Once I sign a piece, I remove the title from sale, the new owner receives the digital file, and I destroy all corresponding files/plates. The cost of a signed piece is the published price times twenry. Get yours today. Prices are going up.

ONE LAST QUESTION. DO YOU EVER DONATE YOUR WORK?

I will donate the signed piece to a worthy charitable organization for a fundraiser.

THANK YOU.

My pleasure.