(Yahoo.com)
Before he died, artist Arthur Pinajian told his family to just throw all of his old paintings into the garbage when he died. Well, his family didn’t follow his orders — and it’s a good thing they didn’t.
The family found thousands of paintings and works by the Armenian artist in the garage. And as it turns out, they are worth roughly $30 million.
“That’s what he said, ‘just let them go in the garbage,’” said Peter Pinajian, the artist’s cousin. “I kept saying, ‘how could you say that?’”
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Comments (68)
Evilscratch
Mar. 8, 2013 at 12:49pmYou didn’t paint that!
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Krutch
Mar. 8, 2013 at 12:23pmIt ain’t worth nutin ’til some idiot buys it!
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hatchetjob
Mar. 8, 2013 at 5:53pmIf no one’s on your canvas, I’m achin’ to be. The Replacements sing “Achin’ To Be”.
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dont_drive_slow_in_the_left_lane_obliviot
Mar. 8, 2013 at 11:42amthey’ll be taxed so much that by the time they are done with taxes and paying lawyers to sue each other they will be left with nothing but a broken family and wished they had listened to him.
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hades3
Mar. 8, 2013 at 10:40amWait until their “Uncle” gets his share. There will be nothing left.
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Eastinfection
Mar. 8, 2013 at 11:30amNo doubt. They should have taken it to the dump, placed it on the ground, and then said “hey- look what i found”…
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Stoic one
Mar. 8, 2013 at 9:45amOne man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
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Eastinfection
Mar. 8, 2013 at 11:35amin San Francisco one man’s rash is another man’s pleasure.
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STREBOR
Mar. 8, 2013 at 11:46amG R O T – Grimey Rotten Old Trash OR Grand Reclaimed Old Treasures.
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The-Monk
Mar. 8, 2013 at 12:46pmOh East !!!!!
Yuck…. LOL
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HAWKWIND
Mar. 8, 2013 at 1:53pmYEAST – ouch, that was nasty!
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Gargent_Furball
Mar. 8, 2013 at 9:43am30 million.? First you have to find someone who will buy it.
Money walks, BS talks.
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JGraham III
Mar. 8, 2013 at 10:10amWell, as the saying goes “there is no accounting for taste”. Picasso never impressed me beyond what someone’s kid could do with finger paint, but his work is worth millions even if you don’t have to steal one from a museum in order to own it. Trust me, there will be enough buyers for this man’s work so his family will be well fixed financially.
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Akridgerunner
Mar. 8, 2013 at 8:55amI’m no art critic and don’t know squat about art really but that stuff is very good.
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txgrrl
Mar. 8, 2013 at 8:30amDid this artist see any success in his lifetime, or only when he’s dead?
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Skee
Mar. 8, 2013 at 9:50amThat’s how it works.
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dadsrootbeer
Mar. 8, 2013 at 8:30amToo bad the death tax is going to take almost half of it. Love that government of ours.
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battles
Mar. 8, 2013 at 8:49amStop complaining! Dear leader needs to finance his gold trips.
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battles
Mar. 8, 2013 at 8:51amI meant golf trips, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he was not spiriting away some of our tax dollars into gold accounts.
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chips1
Mar. 8, 2013 at 11:49amWhy in the world would anyone tell what they found? Why not just sell one painting at a time and keep the government in the dark. It sounds like the stories about treasure hunters announcing they found old coins. Don’t talk so much about what you have.
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term limits for congress
Mar. 8, 2013 at 8:20amI’ve got to buy some paint and get busy making garbage!
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chips1
Mar. 8, 2013 at 11:53amThe ghettos are extremely rich. Let’s tax them!!
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wampanoag
Mar. 8, 2013 at 8:11amThis is without a doubt the most stupid family in history. By announcing their finding they will incur 60% state and federal estate taxes of over $15 millions. If they just kept their mouths shut, and simply quietly given the paintings to various family members nobody would have been the wiser.
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txgrrl
Mar. 8, 2013 at 8:29amBut it’s sooooo “patriotic” to pay the highest tax rate. heehee.
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Gonzo
Mar. 8, 2013 at 7:40amI will be surprised if they actually get $30 mill, but it’s still a nice windfall.
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sparkyrules
Mar. 8, 2013 at 1:55amMy grandson scribbles better than Pinajian.Why are all the so called ‘great artists’ dead and gone before they enjoy the $fruits$ of their talent?
Because idiots in the future with $money$ like to think that the common man is stupid.I have news for the artsy/fartsy…..
George W. Bush in a bath tub is your boy.
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ryanparrish
Mar. 8, 2013 at 6:27amI am sorry but your kid couldn’t scribble better than Pinajin unless he was an art prodigy. To the unengaged in may seem like scribbles but there are serious thought, that goes into line,form and color to arrange the overall composition. There is a difference between simple and simplistic these works are not simplistic,
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SpeckChaser
Mar. 8, 2013 at 1:15pmRyan
In a college art class we were shown a famous painting worth millions. I don’t remember the name of the piece or the feeling you were supposed to receive from “pondering the artists intentions,” but I do remember the painting itself. It was a square canvas. The left side of the painting was orange. The right side was blue. That was all it was.
From that point on I view alot of art for what it is. A scam that allows people to stare at a painting anyone with five, maybe four, fingers and zero talent could have painted and feel a self inflated sense of culture, refinement, or whatever it is they have tricked themselves into believing in order to feel above the simple who don’t share in there culture. For instance, you could not even refrain from telling sparky how the unengauged just can’t see what you can. Pat yourself on the back.
The funniest example of this I have seen was when a buddy of mine painted four or five pieces that resembled paint thrown on canvas and put them on his wall. Every new guest that stopped by ohhhed and ahhhhed over them and asked, “who painted them.” The response was always, “no really, who painted it” when he told them he did. It never got old.
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Eastinfection
Mar. 8, 2013 at 2:02pmSPECKCHASER…. You’re probably talking about one of Rothko’s works. He is not my taste, either but i do like many other artists and see value in their work.
My favorites are Degas and Norman Rockwell. Unfortunately Rockwell is dismissed by most critics because his work was commercial in nature.
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KissMyAmericanFlag
Mar. 8, 2013 at 12:48amSimply irrestible: One man’s trash is another’s treasure… ;-)
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Ghandi was a Republican
Mar. 8, 2013 at 12:35amIf they charge inheritance tax that would mean that the poor guy had been working as a slave for whatever percentage the Government takes. 80% tax = the man was used as slave labor for 80% of his life. Obama is all about slavery.
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The-Monk
Mar. 8, 2013 at 12:22amSince he didn’t leave them in his Will and told them is was trash they shouldn’t have to pay any death or inheritance tax on them.
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PATTY HENRY
Mar. 8, 2013 at 12:39amWhat I saw in the clip was amazing art! The man was definitely talented and knew what he was doing…very much like Klee; Pollock; DeKoonin so if you don’t agree, fine, if you don’t understand it
and have studied the communication that is art, fine, if you don’t understand it because you’ve never
tried to understand modern art, try learning something. I’m glad these guys found it, rescued it and they deserve all the profits. Art is “not in the eye of the beholder” Art is a communications skill much like acting and singing…you know good when you see/hear it. The more you know about “it” the more discerning you can become and the more enjoyable it becomes.
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Diane TX
Mar. 8, 2013 at 12:41amYou’re right, especially since the “death tax” was just raised in obedience to the commie-in-chief.
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The-Monk
Mar. 8, 2013 at 2:41amHi PATTY HENRY,
What are you talking about?
My comment was about the Gov and IRS most likely wanting to take most of the money.
I know more about art than you know. I hope your comment was meant for someone else.
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The-Monk
Mar. 8, 2013 at 2:45amHi PATTY HENRY,
“I know more about art than you know” did not mean “I know more about art than you know about art”
Just to clarify so there is no misunderstanding. : )
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PATTY HENRY
Mar. 8, 2013 at 10:18amMONK: WOW. NO. I wasn’t addressing you specifically but note the comments in this thread. WHAT is your problem? You don’t know who I am. WHY would you make such a defensive remark? NEVERMIND. Is it any wonder that people can’t get along???? My point was simply that people who say Art is in the mind of the Beholder usually don’t have a clue. That argument is part of what has destroyed America’s creativity….the “anything goes” philosophy. Have a nice day, dude. I’m sorry for you.
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PATTY HENRY
Mar. 8, 2013 at 10:22amYour clarification -clarifies. I should have posted my comments under some other blogger’s statement. Yours was definitely about Artist’s motivation. I agree BTW… and I did read the
I know more than you know incorrectly, so I’m glad you clarified. NO harm/no foul . :)
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The-Monk
Mar. 8, 2013 at 11:02amHi PATTY HENRY,
I was a professional picture framer for many years. I also used to restore the picture frames at the Smithsonian Institute. I had a nice art collection at one time. I’ve done work for the WH also. I was just curious why you posted what you did to my comment. I like your posts and wanted to clean this up so we didn’t get off on bad footing. Thanks for replying. : )
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Eastinfection
Mar. 8, 2013 at 11:29amMonk and Patty…
If i didn’t know better i’d think you two were married to each other after witnessing that misunderstanding… lol!
Glad you guys worked it out :)
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The-Monk
Mar. 8, 2013 at 12:00pmHi East,
LOL.. just wanted to clarify things. Sometimes replies end up on the wrong comment.
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chips1
Mar. 8, 2013 at 12:01pmMONK:
I have a velvet Elvis painting I’m willing to sell to the Smithsonian. Sure could use your help.
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Eastinfection
Mar. 8, 2013 at 12:13pmCHIPS…
You’d have better luck selling it to these guys…
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90541936
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Vision Harry
Mar. 8, 2013 at 12:26pmLove Ya Patty, but if you have to “understand”it, it’s not art.
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Eastinfection
Mar. 8, 2013 at 12:42pmthat’s harsh VISION HARRY.
as a noted Fart Critic… i think your observation stinks.
most dictionaries define “art” along the lines of “The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination”.
You have every right to decide what you think is good or bad art- but you can’t redefine it to suit your taste. The only one qualified to decide if something is actually “art” is the artist.
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banjarmon
Mar. 7, 2013 at 11:43pmWhen you find family treasures…DON’T TELL ANYONE!!!
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CatB
Mar. 8, 2013 at 3:09amAmen!
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Eastinfection
Mar. 8, 2013 at 7:13amThe paintings are only worth something if they sell them.
I think you have to tell someone about them to sell them?
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Leslie Anne
Mar. 8, 2013 at 9:03amI love the fish picture near the end of the clip. I hope they turn that into a print.
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Moliminous
Mar. 7, 2013 at 11:08pmThey should have honored his wishes and dumped them.
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Caniac Steve
Mar. 7, 2013 at 11:17pmGuess again…huh ??
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sligresda
Mar. 7, 2013 at 11:24pmoh please, hes dead. hes either in a much better or much worse place, the least of his worries are his wishes being honored here on earth.
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V-MindMeld
Mar. 7, 2013 at 11:03pm30 mill? Hmmmmmm?
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USA-Ron
Mar. 7, 2013 at 11:02pmwould be better and very nice,
if they did NOT have to pay Inheritance Taxes, etc
the Gubment gets a larger cut of everything,
that is NOT right, taxes were already paid on those things,
they are Double Dipping into this families pocket.
Oh wait, that is socialist/communist,
sometimes I do not agree with USA rules
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HOOT_OWL
Mar. 8, 2013 at 4:45amCan it be taxed if its considered ‘garbage’…?
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hatchetjob
Mar. 8, 2013 at 6:06pmI wonder how much I could fetch for my eggshells and used coffee grounds if I arrange them in some contorted way on canvas?
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woodyee
Mar. 7, 2013 at 10:59pmNow I know what Obammy’s dumpster-divers are looking for…
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jman-6
Mar. 7, 2013 at 10:50pmI believe the reason he told them that was he knew what they were worth, but also knew that kinda money would due them more harm then good. After all he knows them better than anyone and some people are not cut out to handle that amount of money and the responsibilies [pitfalls] that come attached to it! Sometimes simplicity is best!
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KyleD
Mar. 7, 2013 at 11:00pmThat’s unlikely. Artists are either really critical of their work and wont let people see it because they think it’s bad or are real pieces of work and show too many people, thinking they’re good. He most likely just thought his stuff was junk.
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TheWhiteFalcon
Mar. 7, 2013 at 11:19pmOr he didn’t want Obumbles to get more money for his latest trip to the Vineyard.
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americansfightingforcommonsense
Mar. 7, 2013 at 10:47pmBeauty is in the eye of the beholder, but it all looks like junk to me too.
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jman-6
Mar. 7, 2013 at 10:54pmThought it was “beerholder”! Just kiddin.
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AmericaMustBeFree
Mar. 7, 2013 at 10:47pmIts always worth more when their dead!
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LeadNotFollow
Mar. 7, 2013 at 10:36pmOnly liberals could see that crap as art.
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KyleD
Mar. 7, 2013 at 10:55pmWhat would you consider art and why would it be worth anything?
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