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Comedy Scams Swindles Schemes Web Series

Art scams: invisible sculptures and blank canvases—Scams, Swindles, and Schemes

Season 2 ends talking about art scams. Donate to the scampaign if you want to see us go without body lotion!

Devin takes the wheel this episode to talk about two stories that have been bothering him for some time. Are these art scams really scams? Or schemes to take money from people with too much in the first place? $18,000 is about how much Devin has left to pay for the college degree he earned twenty years ago, but some people spend that much on “invisible sculptures” in Italy.

Onicia talks him off the ledge for the next story about a Danish artist who literally called his show “Take the Money and Run.” A lot has happened since this story was trending last year, but we’re still not sure how to categorize it.

You can reach out to us on Twitter, donate to the scampaign, subscribe to Devin’s and Onicia’s YouTube channels–and tell us what kind of art you’d buy if you had the money.

https://youtu.be/Dnz0e2tI6Kg

Invisible sculptures bought with real money

An artist in Italy managed to sell empty space for $18,000, but with a certificate “proving” it exists. Onicia and Devin wonder if they can photoshop one of those certificates to pretend to have one of these sculptures and then sell that.

https://youtu.be/sxXNXp1xlYA

Question: What would you make a sculpture of if you wanted to sell it?

Shout at @devinagonistes and @OniciaMuller on Twitter.

Blank canvases may not be an art scam

“Take the Money and Run” was an art show in Denmark, but at least that had some tangible results! Devin understands that art is hard, and Onicia has plenty of sympathy, too.

https://youtu.be/Fw9Q4UyQBlM

Question: What’s your favorite work of art?

Shout at @devinagonistes and @OniciaMuller on Twitter.

By Onicia Muller

Award-winning Caribbean comedian, Onicia Muller’s weekly humour column, Just Being Funny is chicken soup for the naive sceptic’s soul. You can hire her to write anything from blogs and newsletters to (bathroom poetry) funny greeting cards. Join her newsletter for funny stories and stand-up comedy. www.OniciaMuller.com