A Big Decision

By Michelle Bryan

The art in my home is comprised of castoffs from my parents collection, things I’ve picked up at flea markets, a few photographs taken by friends hoping to make it big and a couple of works my husband and I bought for each other as anniversary gifts (the most we ever spent was on a large folk-art fish by Ed Larson hanging in our living room—about $700).

I have been working in a gallery that deals in 19th, 20th century and contemporary art for the last seven years. My five-year anniversary was marked by the owner of the gallery’s offering me a piece of art as a “service award.” His only requirement was the value of the piece. My budget was limited to $4,500. I’ve never spent $4,500 on a piece of art (or anything else in my home, save the house itself) in my life and felt a responsibility to myself and my family to spend it wisely. I chose a piece that is really cool, albeit controversial, by a completely unknown artist—and I love it.

Over the last two years, I came close but never closed the deal. First there was the spin etching by Damien Hirst. I felt that because I make a large portion of my living by selling Hirst works I should own something of his. There was also the idea that the work might go up in value, an appealing idea in its own right. Unfortunately the only thing my $4,500 would buy was a small spin etching (think gyro-scope pictures you made at the county fair in 4th grade and you get the idea).

Then there was the large Paul Morrison black and white flower project, which was very cool but too “contemporary” for my home. Great for an inner city loft apartment but not so great in my “mountain” style home.

I really came close with the Anish Kapoor etchings of variated colored blobs—amazing works with texture and color that would perfectly blend comfort, color and contemporary art. The problem was they were $2,000 more than my budget allowed for and, given the downturn in everything, I just couldn’t see spending the valuable resources.

So, biding my time, waiting for the perfect piece, little did I know it would incorporate a famous painting, photography and internet porn. Sound intriguing? I think so, too.

My “service award” is an amazing photo-collage by a new artist from L.A.—Cameron Gray. It’s an amazing compilation of DaVinici’s famed Mona Lisa, the provocative, enigmatic portrait. Cameron’s, however, is comprised of hundreds of small images of pornography downloaded and printed from the internet. Dirty, gritty and graphic, not something I want my mother-in-law to see.

Generally I am not a porn advocate, I don’t watch, get off on, or use porn on a regular basis. The only porn video I’ve ever rented was as a senior in high-school when a couple of my guy friends thought I looked older and respectable enough to get away with the rental and not be suspect. (As I recall, I got them “Caligula,” it was boring and they were upset that it was relatively tame compared to something popular at the time like “Debbie Does Dallas”).

So, why this, why now? Well, it makes me laugh, the juxtaposition between seemingly normal and the perverse. And yes, I do kind of “get off” on it, particularily the thought-provoking nature of the piece.

It has already started some contentious conversations. My employer thinks it’s inappropriate because I have a young son (too young to appreciate the details) and he’s worried about him growing up with an addiction. He thinks that from the time he’s 14 until he leaves for college, he won’t be able to stop staring at it. No food, no water, no school, just porn 24/7. (I have to wonder if there’s a bit of self-reflection going on here, but I don’t really want to know.) On the contrary, I think that my son will probably grow up and never even notice. It’s amazing how when something is a part of your everyday experience, it seems to disappear and the details fade away. Furthermore, what better way to start a “birds and bees” conversation when he does notice the details for the first time? My feeling is that the discussion has to happen sometime and it’s better to have it be out in the open and that my child doesn’t ever get the feeling that sex is dirty or not to be discussed within the family. However, I am envisioning the conversations we may have with friends and family, I suspect that this piece may confirm that we are, in fact, the black sheep of our respective families. For the first time in my life I am choosing something irrespective of what people might think about me or say. There is a lot of freedom in that.

And, there is the fact that throughout the centuries people have speculated about the source of Mona Lisa’s smile. Well, I have my own theory…

Michelle Bryan is a sales associate at Galerie Maximillian in Aspen. The ideas and opinions expressed in this blog are hers and do not represent the opinions of Galerie Maximillian or any of its entities.