Not into trash picking, you say?
Elizabeth Gibson was walking in Manhattan's Upper West Side a few years ago, when she spotted a painting and retrieved it from someone's trash, without knowing it was Rufino Tamayo's painting called “Les Personajes†(three people). She later learned who painted it, and that it had been stolen from a Texas collector in 1989. She recently returned the painting, got a $15.000 reward and part of the sale price of $1,049,000.00, when the owner subsequently sold it at Sotheby's.
Rufino Tamayo 1899-1991 was born in Oaxaca, Mexico. His early works have been compared to those of Diego Rivera. His later works feature vivid colors and expressions of his hometown.
$1M Piece of Garbage
Dumpster Divers Recover "Tres Personajes" Painting by Rufino Tamayo
Trend Themes
1. Trash-to-treasure - The trend of finding value in discarded items and repurposing them, presenting opportunities for upcycling businesses.
2. Art Resurfacing - The trend of uncovering lost or stolen artwork and returning it to its rightful owners or finding new buyers, presenting opportunities for art authentication and recovery services.
3. Unconventional Collectibles - The trend of unexpected valuable items being found in unconventional places, presenting opportunities for collectors and treasure hunters.
Industry Implications
1. UPCYCLING - Opportunities for upcycling businesses that transform discarded items into new products to meet demand from environmentally conscious consumers.
2. ART AUTHENTICATION AND RECOVERY - Opportunities for businesses that provide art authentication and recovery services, including the use of technology for identifying stolen or lost artwork.
3. COLLECTIBLES - Opportunities for collectors and treasure hunters as unconventional collectibles gain value and generate interest in uncovering valuable items in unexpected places.