.jpg "WAR • Australia/Afghanistan")
Looking for out-of-theordinary art work. If you can fork out US $1.2 billion, a Used Car Part From Afghanistan could be yours. Australian artist Van Thanh Rudd’s work, on display at Off The Kerb gallery in Melbourne, is entering uncharted territory with his asking price. Rudd claims the work contains a small piece of an Afghan civilian car, destroyed by an International Security Assistance Force missile in southern Afghanistan. “All art must be priced and the price paid by victims of war is astronomical,” he said. Rudd says he examined the pricing strategies of the elite auction houses, Christie’s and Sotheby’s, but decided his work should be priced more realistically. Rudd says his pricing analysis included a breakdown of the multi-trillion dollar US war budget in West Asia since 2001, and other variables like the cost of wounded civilians and soldiers; proceeds will go to Afganistan’s war victims.
We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. This will mean a lot for our ability to bring you news, perspectives and analysis from the ground so that we can make change together.
.png)
Comments are moderated and will be published only after the site moderator’s approval. Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name. Selected comments may also be used in the ‘Letters’ section of the Down To Earth print edition.