A selection of Kanye West’s high school artwork received a shocking valuation on the US version of Antiques Roadshow when it was appraised in 2020.
Originally sketched and painted around 1995, Kanye’s works included a black and white self-portrait featuring curious horns, elfin ears and a series of chains wrapped around the figure. Other art included lush green paintings of forests, a more abstract style portrait and a sketch of a woman.
Kanye’s first cousin-in-law came to own the paintings when her husband inherited the collection from Kanye’s mum Donda, who passed away in 2007. An attached bio came with the pictures, describing a 17-year-old Kanye as a “graduate and artist extraordinaire”.
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It added: “He has studied art at the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago State University, Nanjing University in the People’s Republic of China and Polaris School for Individual Educations. This fall, Kanye will begin his studies for the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the American Academy of Art in Chicago and continue to pursue a career as a music producer.”
(Image: Antiques Roadshow)
Kanye dropped out of college aged 20 to pursue music, though he was later awarded an honorary doctorate from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. That was revoked in 2022 following Ye’s anti-Semitic comments.
Appraiser Laura Woolley couldn’t believe her eyes when she was presented with the artwork, explaining: “What really attracted me to these pieces was the fact that a lot of people are probably not aware of how talented he is an artist outside his music career.
“These pieces demonstrate an extraordinary facility as an artist. It’s an interesting thing when you look at the art that’s done by a celebrity… the values rise and fall along with the popularity of the celebrity. To have early pieces like this from someone who really will be an important cultural figure of our time is really fantastic.”
(Image: Antiques Roadshow)
Eventually, she revealed that the collection of paintings – originally priced between $12 and $15 each – would be worth anywhere between $16,000 and $23,000. The guest who brought the pictures in couldn’t stop chuckling and nodding as Woolley discussed Kanye’s “controversies” before presenting the final figures.
“Wow,” he gushed, still giggling slightly. “That’s awesome!” In 2021, the art was purchased by Vinoda Basnayake, who helped promote one of Kanye’s concerts back in 2005.
(Image: Antiques Roadshow)
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Since then, brokers have offered to “connect” Vinoda with the rapper himself – but he’s sceptical. He said: “It’s sort of like, ‘Oh, I know Kanye. Do you want me to connect you? I’m just going to take 10%.’ You just never know.
“I’ve gotten a ton of those, a ton of those inflows, but I haven’t gotten directly contacted by either of them. Like I said, I’m an admirer of the art. I’m an admirer of very, very talented artists, and if Kanye wants the pieces, he has every right to have them.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
