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On the basis of the Large Artwork hypothesis, it seems reasonable to conclude that much of the economic worth of an artwork – or any marketed commodity for that matter – can be influenced by extrinsic components of conceptual intent, reputational value, and provenance. It is indeed these intangible parts that are most susceptible to manipulation in the marketplace, and upon which market confidence is constructed.
This is the point at which I identify a turn in their motives, and the point from which the artist was presenting as a possible suspect. I was suddenly paying a lot more attention. For protection from themselves, I wanted the pair to be aware of my attention. I’m not sure that they had quite put those pieces together, but this point certainly marked the beginning of the undoing of Suzette Clarke – artist’s brand strategist.
In short, Suzette’s client had persuaded her that their successful separation of reputational value from the physical product of art now warranted the commodification of value as a standalone entity. He critiques this as the capitalist holy grail, yet has acquisitiveness now taken over from the artist’s enquiring intent?
He dubs the practice 'replicational', and announced the Kapital IPO to the public during the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown (Makhanda). A professional investment advisor, Luvuyo Yanta, is engaged by the artist to conduct the launch at this gala event.
