nat tate: an abstract existence
Author William Boyd’s latest book Nat Tate. An American artist 1928-1960 is dedicated to the life and work of abstract expressionist artist Nat Tate. Boyd has resurrected the forgotten artist who, while having achieved fame and acclaim in the 50s, destroyed his work and took his own life at the beginning of the 60s. So, what is the reason for his having been forgotten? Once he had achieved success, he saw himself as a fraud. He became obsessed with the impotence of his art and tried to drown his demons in alcohol. He headed to Europe where he hit rock bottom. He realized he would never be as good as some of the European artists he saw, so he went back to the States and spent the following years going round retrieving the work he had painted. Upon recovering 99% of his work, he destroyed it all and, in January 1960, following in the footsteps of his much admired Hart Crane, he committed suicide by leaping to his death from the Staten Island ferry. His body was never recovered. The last few remaining examples of Nat Tate’s work can be found in Boyd’s book.
Willian Boyd wrote about the life of artist Nat Tate and in 1997 at a party held in artist Jeff Koons’ house, he explained exactly who Nat Tate was to invitees David Bowie, Gore Vidal and other people from the world of art and culture. And they all swallowed the whole thing; hook, line and sinker. One of them even claimed to remember the artist. When Boyd told them that it was all made up, instead of becoming angry, indeed, dazzled by it all, they decided that something should be done with Nat Tat’s story. They would make the lie become true. Why? Boyd himself explains: “In 1950s New York, artists were celebrities whose personal projection was clearly far greater than their talent. Jackson Pollock is the most obvious example of this. This same phenomenon happened again in the 90s with the Young British Artists. Damien Hirst, Tracy Emin, the Chapman brothers all became rich and famous… I but I can’t see any great artists in that group”.
So, with a critical spirit in mind, Boyd and accomplices used two of the most famous art galleries in London, the National Gallery and The Tate, to create the character of Nat Tate. A famous artist who has very good sales of his work, but deep down inside knows that he is a poorly talented painter that just can’t cut it. And in cases like this the person who realizes just how worthless they are does not lead a happy existence. Over the years, Boyd and his friends spread the story of the highs and lows lived through by Nat Tate. In 2011, the auctioneers Sotheby’s put the painting titled Bridge number 114 up for sale and it was sold to the highest bidder for the sum of 7,000 pounds. Far more than was expected. It was later discovered that Boyd was both the artist of the painting as well as being the mystery buyer.
The book was published last year by none other than David Bowie and Karen Wright’s book publishers 21 Publishing. The hoax was soon uncovered though when The Independent newspaper editor David Lister read the book and became suspicious of the fact that apart from William Boyd and his friends, nobody else in the world of art had ever heard of Nat Tate. He began to investigate and soon discovered that none of the art galleries mentioned in the book had ever existed. He quickly published an article which laid bare the lie. While Boyd himself didn’t come in for criticism in the article, Lister did denounce the self-complacency and lack of critical faculties in the world of art.
Willian Boyd wrote about the life of artist Nat Tate and in 1997 at a party held in artist Jeff Koons’ house, he explained exactly who Nat Tate was to invitees David Bowie, Gore Vidal and other people from the world of art and culture. And they all swallowed the whole thing; hook, line and sinker. One of them even claimed to remember the artist. When Boyd told them that it was all made up, instead of becoming angry, indeed, dazzled by it all, they decided that something should be done with Nat Tat’s story. They would make the lie become true. Why? Boyd himself explains: “In 1950s New York, artists were celebrities whose personal projection was clearly far greater than their talent. Jackson Pollock is the most obvious example of this. This same phenomenon happened again in the 90s with the Young British Artists. Damien Hirst, Tracy Emin, the Chapman brothers all became rich and famous… I but I can’t see any great artists in that group”.
So, with a critical spirit in mind, Boyd and accomplices used two of the most famous art galleries in London, the National Gallery and The Tate, to create the character of Nat Tate. A famous artist who has very good sales of his work, but deep down inside knows that he is a poorly talented painter that just can’t cut it. And in cases like this the person who realizes just how worthless they are does not lead a happy existence. Over the years, Boyd and his friends spread the story of the highs and lows lived through by Nat Tate. In 2011, the auctioneers Sotheby’s put the painting titled Bridge number 114 up for sale and it was sold to the highest bidder for the sum of 7,000 pounds. Far more than was expected. It was later discovered that Boyd was both the artist of the painting as well as being the mystery buyer.
The book was published last year by none other than David Bowie and Karen Wright’s book publishers 21 Publishing. The hoax was soon uncovered though when The Independent newspaper editor David Lister read the book and became suspicious of the fact that apart from William Boyd and his friends, nobody else in the world of art had ever heard of Nat Tate. He began to investigate and soon discovered that none of the art galleries mentioned in the book had ever existed. He quickly published an article which laid bare the lie. While Boyd himself didn’t come in for criticism in the article, Lister did denounce the self-complacency and lack of critical faculties in the world of art.
