Con Artist (2009)

A docu-comedy feature film about a once-famous millionaire "business artist" forced to confront his own legendary obnoxious behavior, while trying to find love through fame.

Director:

Michael Sladek (as Michael Sládek)

Stars:

Wilfredo Arias, Molly Barnes, Jean Michel Basquiat

Cast

Credited cast:
Wilfredo Arias	...	Himself
Molly Barnes	...	Herself
Jean Michel Basquiat	...	Himself
Andy Behrman	...	Himself
Pope Benedict XVI	...	Himself
Duncan Bindbeutel	...	Himself
Victor Bockris	...	Himself
Mike Cockrill	...	Himself
Jacob Collins	...	Himself
Fabio D'Aroma	...	Himself
Adrian Dannatt	...	Himself
Daze	...	Himself
Alex Dimitrov	...	Himself
Lavinia Fillippi	...	Herself
Heidi Follin	...	Herself

Storyline

A product of post-Warhol commodity-based "business art" Mark Kostabi is one of the world's most divisive and successful living artists, selling over one thousand paintings every year, all of which were conceived of and painted by his employees. Through overt self-interest and lampooning of the art business, Kostabi catapulted to international fame via New York's explosive 1980s Post-Punk / Hip Hop-driven art scene but quickly fell from grace by the 1990's. Although a pariah in the upper-echelons of the A-list art establishment, his employee-centered studio persists and thrives today as he continues to sell paintings to mid-level collectors worldwide. In addition, Kostabi now produces and hosts a strange weekly game show called Title This wherein celebrities, art world luminaries and aging punk rockers compete for money to title "his" paintings. Constantly obsessed with money, fame and spin, Kostabi's critics claim he's either reflecting America's obsessions back on it or is simply a ...

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Genres:

Documentary | Comedy

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

12 November 2010 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Plug Ugly Films, Ovation, The Group Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min (theatrical)

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Official Selection of the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival.

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Soundtracks

Glory
by The Juggs

User Reviews

Hilarious, stunning and exceptional

Just saw it at Black Nights Film Festival in Tallinn and I was stunned. This movie is hilarious in good sense of humor. There are so many funny aspects in it to find out. To find out means - you really have to be a type of person who is able to see funny aspects behind serious talk. For example there is a scene where Kostabi's "childhood neighborhood friend" (now bum-looking fat hairy guy), who remembers Kostabi and describes him as a loser. Another neighbor tells how all neighborhood alienated Kostabi's parents in early 60s because "they were strange, they had no car, dad ride on bicycle to a local groceries and used to play accordion in front of his house on Sundays". The movie is about to explode of all memorable quotes in this movie and you really do not have to be an "art junkie" or somehow connected to "art-world" to enjoy this. Documentary is really well balanced and even thought there is some sadness gathered as well, I consider it a very good comedy at its best.