Seriously, there isn't anything inherently wrong with colorized ASEs, or, for that matter, gold-plated coins, though they are definitely not my cup of tea. What bugs me is their marketing: it's the sort of thing peddled to the uninformed as being worth something they're not. In that regard, they are harmful to the hobby. Yeah, I know it's up to the buyer to do some homework, but in all reality, a lot of buyers don't. And at some time in the future -- like when they try to sell them -- the hobby still takes it on the chin.
I'll never forget going to the Met in NYC a few years back. After a full day of viewing ancient Greek and Roman classics, Van Gogh, Monet, Da Vinci, and a hundred other soul quenching artists' work, we came to the final exhibit before the exit: Six or seven 8' high walls arranged in a haphazard pattern, all painted flat black. I've seen some pretty ridiculous modern "art" but that topped it all.
I tapped out on the modern art when I saw people praising an all white canvas with a red spot painted on it down the hall from a Degas exhibit. I grew up two houses down from where Degas lived and he had always been my favorite. When his exhibit came to town I was so excited and made a bit of money outside of the museum recreating some of his pieces. I studied fine art for many years under Al Federico who is known mainly for typical Louisiana scenes. I've always had a knack for fine art, but I never had much of an imagination. This is one of All Federico's works and is typical of his style. He also has many impressionistic style paintings that he did in Jackson square.
No modern art for me. I've seen white poster board paper with a car tire painted black driven over it and black poster board paper with penguins pooping on and walking over it. That was more than I could stand.
Back in the mid 1980's in the Wall Street Journal there was an article about a new record for a painting by a living artist, $25 million for a Jasper Johns painting of a US flag, all in white. White stars on a white field with white and white stripes. $25 million for this
