Friday, November 10, 2006

Did he or didn't he? (UPDATED)

Last week the New York Times reported that David Geffen had sold a Jackson Pollock painting to David Martinez for a record $140 million. Kate Taylor reports in today's New York Sun that Martinez says it isn't true. Earlier this week, he told Josh Baer, of the Baer Faxt: "I did not buy the Jackson Pollock painting." Now his lawyers (Shearman and Sterling) have issued a statement that "contrary to recent articles in the press identifying him as the buyer of a painting by Jackson Pollock, ... neither Mr. Martinez nor any related party of Mr. Martinez owns the painting or has any right to acquire the painting from David Geffen or any other party who has acquired it or may acquire it in the future."

UPDATE: The Times weighs in (third item) on this this morning and says the episode reinforces "the art world’s reputation for cloak-and-dagger secrecy."