Van Gogh Reborn!
Chapter 200:

Meanwhile, the art enthusiasts had different reactions to the issue raised by reporter Lee In-ho.

└Isn’t he right? What’s the difference between introducing your own work in an anonymous contest and asking for votes?

└It’s a popularity contest.

└The purpose of the contest was to introduce new art to the public. But if influential people step in, it loses its meaning.

└That’s also the choice of the public.

└The Art Nouveau contest is amazing. I see people who had no interest in art before participating.

└I agree. I don’t know when they started going to exhibitions.

└The masters are not masters for nothing. They have produced works of artistic value and earned recognition. I don’t see what’s wrong with them getting more votes. LOL

└What does Alex think?

└Yeah. Say something.

YouTuber Alex, who saw the chat during the broadcast, decided that he couldn’t ignore this matter and move on.

“Hey, stop fighting. If you fight here and don’t come to my broadcast, how am I supposed to make a living? Just stop.”

Alex was afraid that his viewers would fight and stop coming to his broadcast.

His honest attitude made the viewers pause their argument for a moment.

“First of all, if you have some insurance, you can say what you think. That’s the same for Korean reporters, you who watch my broadcast, and me too.”

Positive messages appeared in the chat.

“Yeah. And you have to take responsibility for what you say. So I’m very careful. There might be people who think differently from me. But I can’t do without viewers. To be honest, I’m really nervous right now.”

Alex chuckled.

└Right. You have to be careful with what you say.

└Just don’t do it.

└Alex lost his originality. Three years ago, he was like a shredder doll, biting everything.

└I miss those days.

“Those bastards are the worst. They’ve been watching my broadcast for the longest time and they say that? Originality my ass. Are you the same when you enter a company as a newbie and when you become a manager? Are you the same when you enter college and when you’re in the graduation class? If you’re the same, are you human? I had to do whatever I could to get my name out there, but it’s different now. You want me to go back to then? It makes me angry. Get out, you bastard!”

└LOL

└Well, that’s true.

└Just do what you used to do. It could cause trouble.

└He’s scared.

└LOL This is Alex.

Alex, who broke the mood for a moment, brought up the main point with a serious attitude.

“I’m honestly a bit bothered. Of course, you can get known for your existing style. That’s your artistic identity. Where would that go? The problem is asking for votes on SNS. Are you sane? What about the unpopular people? They’re not in the same condition as the people who can mobilize 100,000 or 200,000 people.”

Alex couldn’t bring himself to name the artist who did that.

“It’s a contest that excludes both the judges and the anonymity. And you can turn your life around if you win. But do you have to do that even if you’re already making good money? I think the Korean reporter is right.”

The chat started to burn again.

He expected this to happen, so Alex continued to speak.

“I know. What you want to say. Famous artists have their reasons. What I want to say is, can’t you just stay still?”

He showed the voting status of the Art Nouveau contest on the broadcast screen.

2028 Art Nouveau Contest Voting Status

1st

Votes: 1,478,601(19.0%)

2nd

Votes: 1,470,818(18.9%)

3rd

Votes: 1,369,651(17.6%)

The total number of votes increased to 7,782,111.

“Honestly, everyone will agree with this. The best works of this contest are Beauty and Summer Valley. They just hit you in the heart with different emotions, right? But what is this?”

Alex started to get excited.

“Critics, media, visitors, internet reactions, all talking about Beauty and Summer Valley, but why are the votes like this? At this rate, they’ll lose.”

There were messages in the chat that ignored Damian Carter.

“That’s not it! Am I underestimating Damian Carter right now? I like him too. But not this time. Do you want me to show you the search traffic?”

Alex accessed Google Trends and searched for , , and .

“Look. Beauty and Summer Valley have been searched hundreds of thousands of times a day since the contest started. But Breakup? It goes back and forth between 10,000.”

The viewers were amazed by the related information.

There was a big difference in the search volume of the three works, but they got similar votes in the contest.

“It’s because of duplicate voting. Beauty and Summer Valley are getting a lot of votes even though the authors are not known yet. The works with known authors are just picking from the remaining votes. They actually like Beauty and Summer Valley more, but the result is that Summer Valley is losing, and now Beauty is about to be overtaken?”

Alex sighed.

“It’s not that Damian Carter did that. He never said what his work was. This is a mistake that SNBA overlooked in the judging system and they have to fix it for the next contest. I’m just saying that this situation is wrong.”

The man who felt pressured by the countless chats wiped his face.

“I think it’s amazing that Ko Hun doesn’t reveal what he submitted in this situation.”

Alex showed Ko Hun’s picture on the screen.

“Even though he doesn’t have a solid fan base yet, he has built up quite a reputation. Enough to influence the votes. But he hasn’t made a move yet.”

Some of the viewers suggested that it was because was still in first place.

“That could be true. If Beauty is really drawn by Ko Hun, then it could be. Why are you saying now that it might not be Ko Hun’s work? I don’t know. I just stirred up some controversy. Why.”

Alex said with a serious face.

“I honestly don’t know. The only one that resembled his style was Beauty. And there was what Henri Marso said. Summer Valley? I don’t know. I can’t imagine Ko Hun drawing that kind of picture.”

The viewers asked again.

“Why? Come on. Summer Valley is really perfect in terms of composition. It used the optical illusion effect perfectly to express the theme. How can you learn that in a short period of time? All of a sudden? If Summer Valley is really Ko Hun’s work, I think it’s as amazing as drawing Beauty. Maybe more. He challenged a completely different style from what he pursued and achieved that much. No one can imagine what Ko Hun will draw in the future. The scary thing is that he’s only 10 years old. He’s already amazing, but who knows what he’ll do with that potential. Yeah. He’ll be 11 soon.”

└Damian Carter interview is up

└[Link] [Damian Carter, “I wish more opportunities went to more artists.”]

└He says he doesn’t mean to criticize the artists who are getting a lot of votes. He also hopes that more diverse works will be highlighted.

└Wow. That’s Damian for you.

└Look at his generosity.

└The atmosphere will change a bit since Damian said that.

As Damian Carter, the winner of the Turner Prize, the most commercially successful artist in existence, and a reputed person of integrity, stepped in, the heated atmosphere calmed down.

Alex clapped his hands.

“That’s amazing. It’s more effective when someone with power says something like that. Damian Carter is really cool. I respect him. Really.”

**

Henri Marso narrowed his eyes.

Three hours after Damian Carter’s interview was reported, his work surpassed and became the first place.

Henri Marso’s pride was crushed, who had been keeping the top spot since the first day.

Henri Marso looked for Damian Carter’s interview and pressed his temples.

‘What a cunning bastard.’

Last night and today, the Art Nouveau contest had a chance to turn things around.

With the courageous statement of a foreign reporter, the artists who had been dissatisfied until then started to speak up, and the visitors also responded to that.

Henri Marso, who opened the Art Nouveau contest, couldn’t have asked for a better thing.

He believed that the way to approach the works without relying on fame would begin.

But Damian Carter knew how to use the media well.

He didn’t oppose rashly, but supported the direction that the public and the artists wanted, and strengthened himself.

The support for Damian Carter, whose work was already known, had to rise, and that was reflected in the votes.

“When did he do this interview?”

Michelle, who was next to him, looked at the article with curiosity.

“What do you mean?”

“I heard he was attending Jay Jopling’s party yesterday. Did he have time to do such a long interview?”

“He must have done it at the party.”

“I heard the reporters were banned from entering.”

Henri Marso frowned at Michelle’s words.

If he couldn’t do the interview last night, it meant he did it this morning at least, but it felt too organized.

The reporters wouldn’t have come looking for him in the morning, so Henri Marso confirmed his suspicion that Damian Carter was using the media.

But he also admitted that it was a means to increase his value.

“It’s amazing to see how popular he is.”

Michelle said, thinking of Damian Carter’s work.

Among the curators, buying works personally was implicitly avoided for the transparency and fairness of art trade.

So he couldn’t buy Damian Carter’s work, but he didn’t want to either.

Tastes vary depending on the artist and the work, but he couldn’t understand the bad habit of cutting up animals and stuffing them for display.

He was just amazed that such works were popular.

Henri Marso, who was lost in thought, opened his mouth.

“What’s their relationship?”

“What?”

“Damian Carter and Jay Jopling.”

“Well. Oh, was it 2010? When Damian Carter’s work was sold for 50 million pounds. Jay Jopling must have bought it then.”

Henri Marso also remembered.

Until then, Damian Carter was almost unknown and had a hard time selling his work.

Then his work suddenly sold for 50 million pounds and became a big topic.

“…”

Michelle smiled, looking at Henri who was lost in thought.

He could see how much his pride was boiling.

“It’s a temporary thing. More people will vote from today, so he’ll soon reverse it.”

“I know.”

Henri Marso clenched and unclenched his fist.