I Sold Andy Warhol (Too Soon): A Memoir

By Richard Polsky

Book Overview

In early 2005, Richard Polsky decided to put his much-loved, hard-won Warhol Fright Wig, up for auction at Christie's. The market for contemporary art was robust and he was hoping to turn a profit. His instinct seemed to be on target: his picture sold for $375,000. But if only Polsky had waited . . . Over the next two years, prices soared to unimaginable heights with multimillion-dollar deals that became the norm and not the exception. Buyers and sellers were baffled, art dealers were bypassed for auction houses, and benchmark prices proved that trees really do grow to the sky. Had the market lost all reason?

In I Sold Andy Warhol (Too Soon), Polsky leads the way through this explosive, short-lived period when the "art world" became the "art market." He delves into the behind-the-scenes politics of auctions, the shift in power away from galleries, and the search for affordable art in a rich man's playing field. Unlike most in the art world, Polsky is not afraid to tell it like it is as he negotiates deals for clients in New York, London, and San Francisco and seeks out a replacement for his lost Fright Wig in a market that has galloped beyond his means. A compelling backdoor tell-all about the strange and fickle world of art collecting, I Sold Andy Warhol (Too Soon) takes an unvarnished look at how the industry shifted from art appreciation to monetary appreciation.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B00AK3VC0E
• ISBN13: 9781590514566
• Release Date: April 2011
• Publisher: Other Press (NY)
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

As the Art-World Turns...

I'm admittedly ignorant when it comes to the art world. While I enjoy looking at art, I haven't the least clue as to what makes one painting more valuable than another. Surprisingly, this ignorance didn't keep me from enjoying this hysterical art world expose. Polsky relates the tempestuous, oft-times greedy, heady business of high-end art collection. From the artists themselves to the dealers to the famous auction houses, Polsky chronicles the premature sale of his beloved Andy Warhol painting at auction (he needed the money to fund his wife's obscene shopping habit). One forgives the occasional over-the-top, Chandler-esque metaphor ("....festered like a piece of rotting fruit") because Polsky is just so damned entertainingly informative. The art world reads like a soap opera run amok. Ever wonder how a piece of art comes to sell for millions and millions of dollars? What makes it "worth" that amount? Polsky explains it all and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I Sold Warhol

Terrific follow up to 'I Bought Andy Warhol.' Sad sack art dealer Richard Polsky proves the ineptitude of the so-called secondary market dealer. Hilarious. Well written. A real page turner.

Well worth considering for art fans critical of the direction of the modern world of art

Art has become a multimillion dollar business. "I Sold Andy Warhol (Too Soon)" is one man's reflections on the world of art and how it has quickly departed from admiring artistic expression to being all about the art on green paper we call money. Jaded, surprised, and disappointed, Richard Polsky tells what can be a sad tale of the commercialization of human creativity. "I Sold Andy Warhol:(Too Soon)" is a fine and recommended read that is well worth considering for art fans critical of the direction of the modern world of art.

A Great Read!

What a great sequel to his first book. I really enjoyed this book like a great art salesman he tells a series of events all centered on his quest for a new Warhol.. It is fascinating, informative and a fun read. You really cannot ask for more. I am eagerly awaiting another book from you Richard, Thank You for the hours of enjoyment in telling your tale

A first rate exposé of the art world...and one hell of an entertaining read.

It doesn't matter if you're an art aficionado or neophyte...this book will inform and entertain you at the same time. I would even recommend this book to anyone that just wants to read a great non-fiction book. When I started reading the book, I read the first 50 pages in the blink of an eye. I had to pace myself not to read the entire book all in one night...the book is that good. Richard Polsky is like the "Robert Langdon" of the art world. He is an art dealer / adviser that has somehow done the impossible...unveiled the "other" side of the art world that most of us, if not all of us, have no idea even exists. Anyone that has ever wondered how one acquires a piece of art, from a $1,000 local artist to a $1,000,000 Warhol, would be startled to realize what exactly goes on behind the scenes. Well, thanks to Mr. Polsky, now I know. What I love most about this book is that it gives us an insightful look at the evolution of artists and their art, in every aspect, over the last 40+ years (from pop art's iconic Andy Warhol to modern artists like Damien Hirst)...to what high art has possibly become today, nothing more than another tradeable commodity. What makes a painting worth $50,000,000? Is it its artistic value? Maybe. Is it because the color of the painting is what's in at the moment? Maybe. Is it a status symbol game between billionaires to see who can spend more? Maybe. Is it because it was marketed by an auction house that made the price go up? Maybe. Is it because a powerful art dealer floated a rumor that the painting is worth $50,000,000? Maybe. After reading this book, I'm even more intrigued with the art world than I was before. Read this book. You'll love it.