Do you consider this painting to be art?
If yes … do you still think it’s art if it’s painted by a four year old?
And if yes … do you still think it’s art if it’s painted by the parent of a four year old and then passed off as the child’s work?
These and many other questions get a shiny new coat in the upcoming documentary about young artist Marla Olmstead in My Kid Could Paint That. Check out the new trailer after the jump:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDgwinV4to8[/youtube]
Marla has been painting since she was two years old. By the ripe old age of five, Marla had sold over $300,000 worth of paintings and had been featured in The New York Times. However, controversy has followed the young prodigy; not only has her talent blown the lid off of the stuffy, pretentious art world, but she has also dodged constant accusations of fraud.
Frankly, from what I can see in the trailer, the finished paintings look nothing like the techniques she uses in these clips. Who knows. If she is actually painting these things, then she should be encouraged as much as possible. But if not, then the parents need to go to prison for a little while and be forced to read the definition of “fraud” in the dictionary.
One of my favorite Sketchcasters, Iron Spike, has weighed in with her opinion about the subject:
Thanks Norm at Meet In The Lobby!
That little girl didn’t paint those. If she did, wouldn’t you think that they would have actually video taped her painting one of these atleast once.
The parents need to be locked up. This is fraud.
You’re just upset because your daughter hasn’t brought in $300,000 LOL … and I’m upset that I don’t even have a kid to exploit.
I agree with Eric. If this was real any proud parent would let it be filmed to prove her talent.
You both are missing the point. This is a documentary that apparently delves into whether or not she created these pictures, and it shows her painting in the trailer. Perhaps there is an answer in the actual film that we have not seen yet.
If there was proof of her painting these, then there would be no documentary. The answer would be cut and dry, but obviously she didn’t paint them.
Actually, here’s the proof of her painting these pictures:
http://www.marlaolmstead.com/videos-Feb2007.html
Those video prove absolutely nothing. You barely see her painting. Most of the time she just appears to being going over something that has already been painted.
The video shows her start to paint, then conveniently just to a point were a lot more of it is painted. Then we she her paint a few strokes and then it jumps and it’s almost done.
That little girl did not paint those.
Well, I think you’re all missing the point. Did you watch Iron Spike’s Sketchcast? I don’t care who painted them. If the parents painted them, its wrong. If the kid painted them, it’s just
pre-school slap-art. Either scenario is just plain dumb. It doesn’t matter who painted them. It’s about the story these douchebags have managed to flash people with. It’s about the fact that even if she DID paint them, it’s not real talent. She could have no idea what she is doing and for anyone to call her a genius is completely asinine.
And now a goddamn movie has been made about it? What better way to give more attention to something as pointless as this crap.
I’m going to drink some magnesium citrate and then take a dump on top of some canvas and see how much money I can make off of it. I’ll just need to get the number of that little girls manager.
@ KC – I disagree with you. Have you even looked at some of these paintings?? They are incredible as far as abstract art goes. I am a decent artist – I mean, did you see my Lucas Sketchcast?? – but I could never produce art like that.
Good abstract art is more than slapping paint on a canvas. That’s why, despite lots of abstract art over the years, only a few artists have risen to legendary status.
If the father is painting these, then he should get into trouble. But if the girl is doing it, then she has an incredible eye and talent. I would absolutely hang her paintings on my wall … if I wasn’t afraid of that wall falling over.
On the other hand, I wouldn’t want a canvas smeared with your shit on any wall of my house … but I might be able to use it on my bed.