The Arts

15 Replies to “The Arts”

1. Taxed once to buy the art and “BOHICA!” (Bend Over Here It Comes Again)… taxed again for the rental fee.

   I can’t understand why Canada’s GDP is so low with all that spending going on.

   1. The Liberal theory of a Circlejerk Economy.

      1. I like your description, semi retired. Gives new meaning to ‘Service’ economy.

   2. Do not forget that the extra art has to stored and shipped, another expense. And someone has to be employed to choose the art, account for its value, transport it far and wide, and file the paperwork, as well as expensive people to broker rentals and attend a lot of government inter-departmental meetings and find/hang out with up-and-coming artists. Transport is not cheap, as embassies and trade missions around the world have rented art too.

      It takes a complete neighbourhood of gov’t worker bees to raise and run an art selection and rental business among several departments. Don’t forget that Ottawa pays to sponsor artists too, usually NOT from western Canada. The executives in all departments get paid to buy more expensive art that wierd Ottawa/Montreal artists think is great.

      I know, as my spouse’s first diplomatic Mcjob was cultural attache in NY (Manhatten). Fortunately, he later had important trade policy postings. He was then paid to bring talented artists from Canada for showings/sales at the Consulate General. The NY buyers had free booze and delicious hors d’oeuvres, and bought the artwork. The Canadian artists had a free hotel and expense account during their stay. Some art was excellent (Baker Lake prints) and some, just horrid (the artist who liked to paint or photograph turds!) We taxpayers paid for him too!

      A huge part of our GDP pays for this crap 3 times over, not just twice. Do not forget the “so-called” National Gallery either. They have an ample stash of tax-payer bought art and a huge budget too and a full department of art-credentialed folks, plus storage of many good and terrible artworks.

      Never forget that the average Canadian wants a picture on their wall that has a mountain, a bubby river or stream, a fluffy cumulus cloud, pine or spruce and deciduous trees, and a juvenile deer in the foreground.

2. The epitome of insipid, modestly talented, rent seeking, arts council funded Canadian “artists” being “rented” by insipid, installed idiots who adorn their mahogany walls with the daubings of, likely, their autistic nephews.
   Fiddles saw while the post national state burns.
   It is all on Blackie. All of it.

3. How many of them are Hunter Biden masterpieces ?

4. Presumably, the rental costs are paid by the departments back to the federal government Art Bank, so the net cost the taxpayers for the numerous rental transactions is zero, no?
   The initial art purchases, on the other hand, to say nothing of the existence of this whole Art
   Bank thingy, are a different story.
   John

   1. The cost to taxpayers for these rental transactions is the pay and operating expenses for the government employees choosing which art to rent, delivering and installing it, returning it to storage, care and maintenance, etc.
      I had never heard of all this art in which I share ownership and which I can realistically expect to never see, never mind whether I would like any of it.

   2. I never heard of the Art Bank, but I seem to recall an Art Hanger in government some years ago…

5. Ok, 13,000 pieces of art purchased. Who here thinks that a detailed audit will locate 13,000 pieces of purchased art?

   You are going to find that maybe half that many pieces. The other ones are long gone (sold illegally, taken by retiring politicians and career government workers, gifted to campaign donors etc.) It’s the natural order of things.

   1. I think all the art pieces that can still be found should be tested for hydrocarbon content and the offending ones should be destroyed. If any pieces survive the hydrocarbon test, there should be a commission established to review the art and assign indigenous names to each piece. (sarc)

   2. The ones I have at the cottage and chalet really spoke to me.
      It’s not really stealing. We’re just storing it and enjoying it as it was created to be “loved”, not stored in some old stupid dark basement storage area.
      Before I retire I’ll give it back.

6. Like with the art market in general, this is money laundering.

7. Xi Trudeau Bankruptcy Plan.

8. Y’all need guns – lots of them.