The Versatile Master Artist

The ”Economic Commentator” accompanied its cover cartoon with a lead-in—[Headline: The historically significant Oil Painting Magazine is about to establish its own subsidiary art private equity fund. However, before the wealthy hurry to call their private financial advisers to transfer funds, why not take a look at this intriguing illustration controversy.]

Sir Brown opened the newspaper’s front page.

This news commentary by the ”Economic Commentator” was quite lengthy, occupying two full pages.

It detailed the ins and outs of Oil Painting Magazine’s major reform and the shareholders’ meeting debate over the artistic level of Detective Cat.

Judging from the overall theme of the text, the newspaper wasn’t overly sensational in predicting the demise of the rumored-to-be-formed Oil Painting Fund.

Like all mainstream financial analysts.

The ”Economic Commentator” also held a cautiously optimistic attitude.

However, the text made readers feel a bit sarcastic.

How to describe it.

It felt like reading an environmentally-conscious newspaper’s editorial on Saudi Aramco’s efforts in carbon neutrality.

The whole article seemed to praise you, yet strange words popped up to poke you now and then.

As for the long-term direction of the magazine’s reform, the ”Economic Commentator” even presented a rather pessimistic view—[In June 1637, a tulip named ’Eternal Purple Emperor’ was sold in Amsterdam for thirty thousand Dutch gold coins. This was equivalent to the combined cost of a sailing warship, a coastal estate, and forty warhorses.]

[And the frenzied speculators in the trading market did not realize that there were less than a hundred days left until the famous ’Tulip Crash Night’ in history. Will Oil Painting Magazine’s commercial transformation, also led by a Dutchman, Sir Jos Brown, learn from their predecessor’s lesson? Let us hear the exclusive interview with Anna Ilina, descendant of the founder of the Oil Painting Magazine Company and former board member—]

Reporter: ”Unbelievable, Lady Yelena, from our conversation, I sense your hardly concealed pessimism about the future of the Oil Painting Fund. This is almost the complete opposite of the investment groups in the market eager to join this financial feast. And at this moment, you are still the largest private shareholder of the entire magazine company. Outsiders are optimistic, but a family member criticizes their own, something I’ve never seen before in my entire interviewing career!”

Lady Yelena: ”The objective fact is that I’m the one who was ousted from the board for differing opinions, and I don’t shy away from this. A magazine cannot impartially publish art criticism while also engaging in financial market money games for investors.”

”A simple yes-or-no question: if telling the truth could mean losses, what choice would you make? Between artistic responsibility and profit, only one can be chosen. The decision the magazine made on the Detective Cat issue was one that shamed me. Being suspended over this is my honor.”

Reporter: ”Detective Cat again. Lady Yelena, you repeatedly mention Detective Cat in previous conversations and take the magazine’s removal of this African female artist as a hallmark event of your ancestor-founded magazine’s deviation from artistic responsibility.”

”Pardon my saying so, without intent of offense, but there are no systemic criteria for judging art. Regarding Detective Cat, is there a possibility that the shareholders of Oil Painting Magazine are correct, and you are the one on the wrong side?”

Lady Yelena: ”There may not be a unified standard for evaluating art, but it can be analogous, much like the case law people are familiar with. Look at Professor Boggs’ work, recommended with a three-star rating in Oil Painting Magazine’s Buyer’s Guide as a Painting Knife artist.”

”I’m not implying Professor Boggs’ work is crude. Precisely because he is an excellent Painting Knife expert, his work, by comparison, highlights Detective Cat’s excellence. Moreover, another straightforward approach exists: Professor Boggs once published a fairy tale illustration collection for Disney.”

”I believe it won’t take long; both readers’ feedback and sales will differentiate the reputation between these two set of illustrations. Of course, some might argue that art cannot simply be measured by sales volume or money, right?”

Reporter: ”Oh, Madam, you’ve already said what I wanted to express. Is there an issue with this viewpoint?”

Lady Yelena: ”Quite the opposite, there’s no error at all. I hold such a view myself. At times, money is the external expression of artistic value, but artistic value cannot be directly linked to money.”

”And we return to our initial topic. A magazine that regards art as unrelated to money leading a profit-oriented private equity fund—this entire affair reeks of an incomprehensible black comedy.”

”...”

Sir Brown no longer wished to keep reading.

He had underestimated Anna.

The chairman was adept at manipulating public opinion and media control.

Yet his opponent was the inheritor of the Elina family. Anna wasn’t the sort to simply sob before reporters or break into an idiotic grin like someone high.

She was equally skilled at liaising with the media.

Miss Ilina bypassed Sir Brown’s advantage in the art criticism sector, opting for an equally influential financial newspaper for an exclusive interview.

Long before he even entertained the idea of severing ties with the affair, Anna had already taken action.

She transformed the Detective Cat incident into the pivotal point of contention between the Elina family and the Oil Painting management, akin to a military flag contested by both sides in a battle.

The newspaper’s corners were pinched into small holes by forceful fingers.

”Hey, Sir Brown, I know you must be itching to tear this newspaper apart right now. Trust me, when I read this article, my mood was nowhere better than yours is now.”

Hellefi sighed, ”But I must advise you to pinch your nose and finish reading it, at least watch the final section. I have to say, possibly, that is the worst part of this report.”

”First-week sales of 40,000 copies. How could it get any worse, even if you told me ’Little Prince’ topped this week’s sales chart, that wouldn’t make me feel worse.”

Sir Brown shrugged helplessly.

The elderly gentleman spoke, eyes skimming the newspaper’s concluding paragraph.

[... Many readers might be deeply impressed by the supposedly real-filming corporate promotional videos for the Scholastic Group’s Easter book season, seen on YouTube, TikTok, TV stations, or subway stations. Many already know that the book that brought a smile to the crying little girl is the new edition of ’Little Prince.’ However, besides ordinary readers drawn by the advertising clips, scientists from King’s College London and the ASD (Autism’s abbreviated medical term) Trust Research Foundation also took interest.]

[As is well known, autistic individuals are dubbed ”children of the stars.” Since the concept of ”art therapy” was proposed in the 1930s, early intellectual intervention combining painting and music has consistently been one of the most widely used treatment methods in autism research.]

[Scientists have long hoped to find a piece that sufficiently reaches the hearts of affected children, becoming a bridge linking autistic children with the outside world. Detective Cat’s illustrations, shown in the advertisement, attracted researchers’ attention.]

[Please note, based on a news media’s professional ethics, we cannot advocate for the efficacy or inefficacy of any new therapy that hasn’t been approved by the FDA or other authoritative bodies. It is merely known from phone inquiries that the Scholastic Group has already donated 1,500 fairy tale books to King’s College to support the research.]

[Wishing the early recovery of the children!]

”This fellow’s artwork can even treat autism? How nonsensical is that.”

With all his composure, Sir Brown couldn’t help but curse with a rather unpleasant swear word.

What is this?

Even the heavens are conspiring against him?