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Defiant Vettriano sets up exclusive fan club for himself

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Published Date: 28 September 2008
By Marc Horne
OVER the years, he has been sneered at by critics and shunned by gallery owners.
But Jack Vettriano is hitting back at his detractors by launching his own fan club, in a move thought to be the first of its kind in the art world.

The Fife artist is using his website to create an exclusive organisation for dedicated supporters p
repared to stump up an as yet undisclosed fee.

Some gallery owners have labelled the project "a shameless act of vanity" and an "undignified stunt".

In 1993, Vettriano, who is one of the world's most popular artists, established a lucrative deal with London's Portland Gallery, where his works were displayed and sold.

But the partnership has been dissolved after a falling out, and his works are now being displayed and marketed from his own official website.

On the site, the creator of the iconic Singing Butler has revealed that he is looking to create a group for his fans. It states: "We will soon be launching an online Private Members' Club. Membership to the Club will include a number of benefits."

Those joining the organisation will receive £100 in gift vouchers, exclusive chances to buy paintings, and priority booking for events where Vettriano will appear."

Those who are interested in joining the club are invited to submit their information.

Vettriano's spokeswoman Isobel Delacroix said: "Unfortunately, we are not yet ready to release further information."

Tom Hewlett, of the Portland Gallery, who worked closely with the Scot for many years, was unaware of the venture.

He said: "I haven't looked at Jack's website for some time now and I really don't know what he is planning. I am trying to distance myself from Jack and what he is doing, and I'm sure he is doing the same."

But a former associate of Vettriano heaped scorn on the project. He said: "Is this a dignified thing to do? Does Damien Hirst have a fan club? I think not. This is the kind of thing you would expect a teenage pop star to do, rather than a middle-aged artist. It's little more than an act of shameless vanity."

As for Vettriano, he once said of his website: "I'm delighted that fans of my paintings will be able to see a body of work, online, of which I'm very proud."



The full article contains 396 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 27 September 2008 7:41 PM
  • Source: Scotland On Sunday
  • Location: Scotland
  • Related Topics: Jack Vettriano
 
1

GM,

28/09/2008 01:32:13
Nice to see 'The Scotsman' do a piece on a scotsman who is one of the *world's* most popular artists in such a negative light.


no more than you might expect from this journal's repetitive cringe factor.

2

Boy Wonder,

28/09/2008 09:01:00
#1. GM ... it's Marc Horne. It's what you expect from him!
3

thibor,

musselburgh 28/09/2008 09:06:18
Good for you Jack. I dont know anyone who has a bad thing to say about your artwork. I can well understand why the great and the good of the art world are jealous of you .
It really bugs me that so many members of the artsy class are so up themselves.That is the main reason I do not exhibit my own humble output. Because if any of these learned know it all college painters panned my "immature" work ..........I would stick the head on the p***k , All the best with everything Jack .
4

Robbierunciman,

Romney Marsh 28/09/2008 22:32:04
Good luck to Vettriano, the 'real' art world relies on market manipulation by russian millionaires. If any sector has lost its way and relies on 'fan club' mentallity it this world occupied by the 'superstar' artist- so few players and so little talent.

its interesting how far the art world has moved away from the taste of society at large.

I have no problem with Russian millionaires creating a false market in the kind of rubbish that Damien Hirst and his ilk produce: i do object when publicly funded galleries join in the charade. It is really the duty of these institutions to reflect popular taste not that of the a narrow clique best left to its own devices.

I go the Tate britain some lunchtimes. It has some great stuff, I liked the Camden Group and the Pictures of Britain but it also has the most appalling tat masquarading as art in the post 1960 rooms. Currently it has athletes running through a long room, previously it had Mark Wallenbergs copy of the guy outside parliaments anti war tat.

I note when I visit that the rooms with pictures are busy, the rooms with 'modern art' are not.



5

John PM,

Edinburgh 04/10/2008 00:52:54
A popular talented Scot, no wonder the Britman detests him. Hirst is a balloon and a conman. If JV is doing things differently from him then he is doing the right thing. What is wrong with setting up a network of contacts and a database of supporters of an artist? It's standard practice for any public figure with any sense of marketing.

Hirst's grotesque 'art' is a sick joke for idiots.

Dreadful dot 'paintings' sick depictions of dead animals, slaughterhouse as art and to top it all a grotesque jewel incrusted scull, a monument to quite foul taste akin to the golden statue of Kate Moss the latest 'great' (garbage) artwork and Tracey Emin's muck encrusted bed. Brit Art as Sh*t art!

Idiots with no taste sums up the supposedly 'big' modern artists. At least Warhol had a sense of humour and an actual talent for innovative design. Nowadays it's a contest to see how just how much tripe the art world will swallow.

Craftsmanship and genuinely exciting paintings sum up Vettriano, I know which I prefer and the public obviously agrees.

National galleries (funded by the public) should not show the bland introspective detritus of people like Hirst they should encourage genuine artistic endeavour.

If this stuff is being shown it should be restricted to private galleries only because it is quite frankly mince which doesn't deserve the use of either public money or public space.

 

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