How’s Steve Martin’s Artworld Novel? “Ohhh…Alright…”

Snap of unflappable Steve Martin on inside flap of his book jacket

Oh, all right. I admit it: Although I’m still not finished reading it, I’m enjoying my gift from author/actor Steve Martin a lot more than I had expected. As those of you who have read about my recent losses already know, I can use a lifting of my spirits.

I could also use a click or two on my “Donate” button. I refrained from begging for blog-support while my travel schedule and my personal situation were so complicated that my posting was bound to be sporadic. (So I was pleasantly surprised today by the ad that landed in my middle column.)

It was strange to lose a father, 96, and mother, 89, within three months’ time. But I can’t say it was unexpected: My parents were inseparable, and I always felt that they kept each other going. I’ve inherited one painting—a landscape that I had picked out for them, many years ago at a now defunct Manhattan gallery. The late artist’s ungainly last name, like that of my parents, is three syllables long, begins with the letter “F” and ends with “stein”—fodder for quips from my father.

Speaking of inherited paintings, I expect to have more to say about An Object of Beauty, Martin’s savvy comedy of artworld manners (with its pointed but sometimes problematic social satire) once I finally make it to P. 292. (It’s a light, fast read, but my life right now is neither light nor fast.) An inherited painting figures prominently in Steve’s story of the rise and fall of an amoral art-market adventuress.

I’m getting a kick out of the book’s astute analysis of artworld follies
and foibles, as well as its telling descriptions of art buying, art selling and art making. Many real-life art characters are mixed in with the made-up ones—a conflation that must create confusion for readers who may not know, for example, that dealer Andrew Crispo‘s stranger-than-fiction trajectory is not a literary invention.

“An Object of Beauty” would benefit from better quality art reproductions and more complete information about the reproduced works (including their owners) in the list of credits at the back of the book, Unless its target audience is only artworld denizens, the book also could use an appendix identifying the “real” characters for non-cognoscenti.

But wait a minute! What’s that colorful painting behind Martin in the book’s publicity photo, above?

As he indicated yesterday on his Twitter page, it’s by Stanton MacDonald-Wright. My guess is that it’s “Synchromy,
Cubist Head,” 1916, the MacDonald-Wright painting that was reportedly included in the exhibition of The Private Collection of Steve Martin (with Steve narrating its audio guide). That 2001 show was mounted at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino’s art gallery in Las Vegas.

Speaking of Martin’s collection, remember the Lichtenstein that was the $42.64-million top lot at Christie’s recent contemporary sale (reportedly consigned to the auction by Las Vegas casino mogul Steve Wynn)? The record-breaking Lichtenstein had previously been owned by Martin, as detailed in the painting’s provenance history (scroll down), published in Christie’s catalogue.