Selling Wants to buy Haves

I love this project: a couple of NYC artists do paintings of items that they want and sell the art to buy the items.

Each painting shows one thing we want, and sells for the price of the real item. So you can buy A Slice of Pepperoni for $3.00 or Dinner at Nobu for $152.00. When the painting sells we use the money to go out and buy that thing.

The other half of the project is the documentation of the purchase/enjoyment of the item; here’s the outcome of “Custom Adidas”. (via clusterflock)

Update: C.J. Cubitt reminded me of J.S.G. Boggs, an artist who draws realistic-looking money and trades it for goods and services…the goods, receipt, and any change become the artwork. Here’s one of his hand-drawn bills:

Update: Dorothy Gambrell of Cat and Girl solicits donations and then draws the stuff she buys. (thx, sean & seth)

Update: The same artists also do Needs for Sale…the sales benefit charities.

• art