[description]A painting by the renowned @@DEMONYMADJECTIVE@@ artist Johnson Bullock was recently sold for 250 million @@CURRENCYPLURAL@@ at an auction, breaking a record for the highest price ever paid for an artwork. The buyer, however, was a shady figure who used to be an internationally infamous drug trafficker who forswore crime and took an interest in collecting art; which has raised some eyebrows.
[validity]capitalist
1. [option]"The naivete with which some people approach this incident is driving me crazy," snorts @@RANDOMNAME1@@, an investigative journalist from The @@CAPITAL@@ Herald, spreading some old and musty newspaper clippings on your desk. "Here is @@RANDOMNAME2@@, our drug baron turned art enthusiast, under house arrest for smuggling heroin from Brasilistan. Here is @@HIM2@@ again, supposedly doing charity work in Kawandaland, but instead paying poor peasants to grow hemp for @@HIS2@@ drug trafficking ring. It is estimated that @@HE2@@ made billions of @@CURRENCYPLURAL@@ in over 30 years of operation, and now @@HE2@@ is obviously purchasing art to launder this dirty money. We cannot allow this to happen. Declare this transaction to be null and void and launch an investigation into this @@MAN2@@'s assets! Other similar transactions with extraordinary amounts of money changing hands should also be scrutinized."
[effect]rich people decorate their walls with their kids' potato prints
2. [option]"Look, I've made some mistakes in the past, but let us let bygones be bygones, shall we?" asks @@RANDOMNAME2@@, gently tapping @@HIS2@@ cigar on an ashtray @@HE2@@ carries around for this specific purpose. "I hope you don't believe the lies of these sensation-seeking media monkeys. Any day they can find a catchy headline is a good day, am I right? Anyway, I paid my dues and have not done any illegal business for 20 years. These days, I just find solace in my grandkids and collecting the exquisite masterpieces of @@DEMONYMADJECTIVE@@ artists. You could say that a lot of artists' hard work would go unrecognized and uncompensated if it weren't for people like me. You should absolutely stay out of art sales and let our artists flourish!"
[effect]mobsters on parole have suddenly become abstract art connoisseurs
[option validity]smoking legal
2. [option]"Look, I've made some mistakes in the past, but let us let bygones be bygones, shall we?" asks @@RANDOMNAME2@@, gently tapping @@HIS2@@ unlit cigar on an ashtray @@HE2@@ carries around for this specific purpose. "I hope you don't believe the lies of these sensation-seeking media monkeys. Any day they can find a catchy headline is a good day, am I right? Anyway, I paid my dues and have not done any illegal business for 20 years. These days, I just find solace in my grandkids and collecting the exquisite masterpieces of @@DEMONYMADJECTIVE@@ artists. You could say that a lot of artists' hard work would go unrecognized and uncompensated if it weren't for people like me. You should absolutely stay out of art sales and let our artists flourish!"
[effect]mobsters on parole have suddenly become abstract art connoisseurs
[option validity]smoking illegal
3. [option]"Woah, so are you telling me this **** got sold for 250 million bucks? That's insane, man! Wow!" exclaims your nephew, his eyes fixed on the picture of the painting adorning the newspaper story about the auction. "Dude, this is just like random doodles. Like, the guy dipped his brush in a can of paint and splashed it across the canvas or something. Holy Violet! I could do this, too! Why don't we set up a board of aspiring artists or something like that where me and my folks can make paintings for you? And like, you sell them at an auction for millions? We could split the money 50-50 and I am sure it would also help your government budget or something. Capiche?"
[effect]philosophers are concerned with the question of what constitutes art more than ever
