State Department Buys Million Dollar Granite Sculpture from Irish-Born Artist

The Weekly Standard ^ | DEC 3, 2013 | JERYL BIER

[PreciousLiberty]

At the end of September, the federal government's fiscal year was drawing to a close, the threat of a shut down was increasing, and the State Department was shopping for art. Four contracts were awarded in the last two weeks of September, including $1,000,000 for a granite sculpture by Irish-born artist Sean Scully to be installed at the new U.S. Embassy in London. Notice of the awards was posted Sunday afternoon of Thanksgiving weekend on the Federal Business Opportunities website.

[PreciousLiberty]

Here's another example of this "gifted" artist's work:

[Tijeras_Slim]

The Blarney Stone.

[BenLurkin]

[BenLurkin]

Good one!

[MeshugeMikey]

i scarcely know what do say.

ive seen a lot of bad art....but a million bucks for anything this boy wunder...is selling is about 999K too much.

will barry be flying in the the installation?

[PreciousLiberty]

He must have the gift of blarney to be getting hard cash for that type of sculpture! lol

[PreciousLiberty]

rofl...yeah that was about my reaction too!

[GeronL]

We need to cut the government spending in HALF as a start

[PreciousLiberty]

I agree!

To make my thoughts on this more clear, in these hard times expenditures like this - $1,000,000 for a (most likely subpar) sculpture are outrageous!

Granted, that’s along with a host of other things including multimillion dollar vacations for 0 and family...

[DManA]

No you guys, this is good. Our ambassador can hide behind it when the locals storm the gates over a cartoon or hideous video.

[Hardraade]

So now they have an Al Quaida statue and an IRA statue.

When will they have the Stuffed Arafat?

[GeronL]

The first thing I would abolish are funds and grants to non-government organizations like NPR, PBS, Planned Parenthood, agri-subsidies, all forms of corporate welfare and the like

[The Cajun]

Maybe if you cover the whole mess in mortar mix and smooth it out, it wouldn't look so bad.

[tumblindice]

Art is anything that appeals to our sense of the sublime.
Them things—whatever they is—is as purty as a mud fence.
Fools and our money are soon parted.

[Salamander]

C'mon now...it looks much better when properly exhibited.

[do I really need the /s here?] :)

[Salamander]

50 years from now, local farmers will have carried it off, piecemeal, to repair their barns.

[heartwood]

You can buy concrete Jersey barriers in your choice of colors and finishes for less than $100 a linear foot! And ship a mile of 'em to England too, for the same total cost! Give some to the Queen! Thanks to Belson Outdoors

[The Cajun]

Tell you what, I have no artistic talent, but give me an industrial grinder, a box of heavy 10 inch discs, a sand blaster and I could do better.
Would only charge a couple of grand for it :)

[Ann Archy]

Are you SERIOUS????? THAT IS CRAP!!!!

[Vendome]

Stoopit Mc.