Pop Artist Arrested for Tiger Woods Gatorade Stunt

A Colorado artist was arrested Wednesday for replacing Gatorade labels with his own "pop art" version; the labels feature a picture of Tiger Woods, his wife Elin Nordegren and the word "Unfaithful".

DENVER — "Good for Gatorade and good for art" - that's the pitch Colorado artist Jason Kay emailed to parent company PepsiCo before being arrested Wednesday. The 38-year-old Kay thought his "pop art" Gatorade labels would "get people talking about how stupid the whole thing with Tiger Woods is," but instead the artist faces a maximum of five years in prison and up to $450,000 in fines.

The unemployed Kay replaced the labels on one-quart bottles of Tropical Mango Gatorade with his own version; a picture of Tiger Woods, his wife Elin Nordegren and the word "unfaithful" printed in bold black capital letters. Kay then snuck the bottles back onto shelves at various stores in the Denver area.

According to an affidavit filed by the Food and Drug Administration, Kay told federal agents, "I didn't think this was a big deal." Kay compares the Gatorade bottle labels to pop art and claims the stunt was his attempt at emulating Andy Warhol. In fact, Kay was hoping to work out a partnership with the beverage firm wherein they would "participate unofficially (while denying this connection) by providing support to [Kay] for travel and per diem in various cities."

Gatorade was a major sponsor of Tiger Woods but ended their endorsement after news of the golfer's alleged infidelities broke in December. Kay has been charged with misbranding and altering food labels with intent to seriously harm a person's business.
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Pop Artist Arrested for Tiger Woods Gatorade Stunt

Bidding War Over '200 One Dollar Bills' Ends at $43.76 Million

NEW YORK, NY — The art market may still be suffering, but a successful contemporary art auction on Wednesday night indicates a rebound is  on the horizon. A surprise bidding war between five potential buyers broke out when Sotheby's brought Andy Warhol's 200 One Dollar Bills (1962) up to the auction block.

The 7 1/2-foot wide silkscreen painting of 200 life-size dollar bills in black, white and gray tones, sold for $43.76 million - more than three times its $12 million estimate. The painting sold to an undisclosed phone bidder, who paid the second-highest price at auction for a work by the Pop artist.

"Bidding was very deep tonight," said Tobias Meyer, Sotheby's contemporary art director. "The desire to have great things will make [collectors] step up and pay more than $40 million."

The late Warhol's artwork is certainly enjoying 15 minutes of fame this week. On Tuesday evening, another Warhol silkscreen, a portrait of Michael Jackson, also beat estimates; it sold for $812,500 at a Christie's auction.

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Read More - Warhol Fetches $43.7 Million at Auction | New York Times
[Photo: Andy Warhol. Two Hundred One Dollar Bills, 1962.]

Bidding War Over '200 One Dollar Bills' Ends at $43.76 Million

Andy Warhol's King of Pop Portrait Enjoys Its "15 Minutes"

NEW YORK -- It was Andy Warhol who coined the phrase, "In the future everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes." In the case of Michael Jackson, however, we have yet to stop talking about him, his music, his eccentric lifestyle, since his untimely death on June 25.

Understandably, Jackson memorabilia is more popular than ever, including fine art pieces depicting "The King of Pop" and others created in tribute. Those in the market for such works will soon be in luck; a 30x26" silk-screen portrait of the singer in his Thriller-era red jacket will soon be up for bid. The 1984 work was done by Andy Warhol in his Pop Art style, with bright colors and squiggly lines. Christie's will auction the work on November 10; it is one of three similar lots expected to fetch an estimated $500,000-$700,000.

The widely publicized Michael Jackson documentary, This Is It, will make its worldwide premier in movie theaters on Wednesday. But as far as the King of Pop's growing popularity, his legacy as a musical genius and the constant media attention  -  this is definitely not it.

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Read More - Warhol Portrait of Michael Jackson Up for Auction | AP

[Photo: Andy Warhol. Michael Jackson portrait, 1984.]

* * * * * UPDATE * * * * *

Nov. 11, 2009 — The Andy Warhol silk-screened portrait of Michael Jackson sold for $812,500 on Tuesday evening. The work was sold by Christie's to an anonymous collector in New York.

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Read More - Warhol's Michael Jackson Portrait Sells for $812K | AP

Andy Warhol's King of Pop Portrait Enjoys Its "15 Minutes"