Velvet Buzzsaw is a satirical dark comedy about art, starting with the opening scene. The opening scene contains all of the main characters and introduces us to their values concerning art; showing us that they focus more on the potential profit of the art compared to the actual art piece itself. There are only a handful of people who look at art as art, and not a paycheck. The plot surrounds an artist, named Vetril Dease, who has had a troubled past dealing with an abusive father, mental illness, war, and murder. Dease dies suddenly, and one of his neighbors, Josephina (Zawe Ashton), who works as an assistant to a highly-known art gallery owner, Rhodora Haze (Rene Russo), stumbles upon his artwork as the owner of the building is clearing out his apartment. The artist, who is named later as Vetril Dease, put into his will explicitly that he wanted his art to be completely destroyed after he died. Of course, Rhodora, being the eager artistic student wanting to become rich and make a name for herself in the industry, ignores Dease’s wishes, and goes to inspect the artwork in his vacant apartment. From the first sight of his artwork, we can tell something is not normal with Vetril Dease’s art, as it sparks a small flame as Rhodora is off looking at another piece. We also see another painting that seems to be a self-portrait, where the subjects eyes begin to move, which is common among self-portraits where people think the eyes are following them; but these eyes physically moved, showing us there is something paranormal about these paintings.
Josephina eventually takes all of the artwork, and begins to sell it for an enormous profit. An interesting fact to note is all of Vetril Dease’s artwork contains themes of Jean-Francois Millet-style paintings, with his noticeable brush strokes, muted colors, his attention to detail, and the common theme of poverty within his subjects. It’s quite clear Dease was painting through the experiences he had throughout his life, as Morf Vandewalt (Jake Gyllenhaal) talks about his history and how Dease painted using his battle for decades with his personal demons, and the result is an epic saga of violence and madness translated onto the canvas. “Vetril Dease howles for answers whilst painting, yet they never came in his life, meaning he left this world without any closure or resolution with his inner demons”; this is the interpretation Vandewalt comes to after learning about Dease’s history and the struggles he went through during his entire life.
The great thing the writer/director, Dan Gilroy, does to open up the film and introduce us to the characters, is show us that they don’t appreciate any art whatsoever, which Gilroy could have been reflecting the stereotypical art connoisseur in today’s world when he was writing these characters. There are still a select few of people who look at art as art, and not a dollar sign; and showing the intrinsic value that comes with that.
Throughout the movie, everyone surrounding the artwork who is trying to profit off the work, end up being murdered in poetic, or silly, elaborate ways. This is telling us that art is not meant for the people who are only interested in the commercialization of it, but are interested in the message it sends and the actual artistic features meant to be seen. Piers and Damrish are the only ones who don’t see the art for the potential money it could make them, but for the actual art that it is, which is why they are the only ones who are really surrounding themselves within the art. Josephina deliberately went against Dease’s wishes, saw the paintings as a lot of money and an easy way for her to get into the industry, and did not care about what consequences might come with her actions. On the opposite side of the art-appreciation spectrum, we how Piers connects and feels about art during the end credits rolling on the screen and how it reflects the true values he demonstrates.
An interesting feature we come to notice in the movie is that all of the art shown that is not Dease’s is quite theatrical, or elaborate. There is one piece of art that makes you feel actual, physical things when you stick your hand into it, and another that was basically showing a family sitting down watching TV, but you can actually walk throughout the art, almost like a movie set. In contrast, Vetril Dease’s art, like I said earlier, is very Millet-esque in the way he uses his struggles as a gateway to the art we see. I think this is very important to note about the theme and the message Gilroy wanted to send; which is some art is not meant to be put on display for everyone to see, but for the artist who creates it to sometimes only have it for himself, and no one more.
Before art became mainstream, with pieces selling for millions, the artists from the Renaissance, Ancient Greece, etc. were painting for the love of telling a story and showing how they interpret a certain point in history, or their personal life. And we know this is true because artists back then were not paid much at all, and actually looked at as the lower social class. Dan Gilroy wants us to note that the art is about the art, not about the price stamp next to it. In addition to that, he wants people to take away that some art is meant to just be art for some people, or no people, and not put on a grand stage to get bid on because someone says it can.
Despite being silly and at certain points making fun of itself, Velvet Buzzsaw is equally funny and frightening, whether you are fan of art or not. If you go into this movie with an open mind, you won’t regret spending 2 hours with it. If you have a general idea of the art market and what the art market used to be, you will definitely enjoy it and analyze is a little more.
I think Velvet Buzzsaw does convey a meaningful message: art is art for people who want to see it, and if people see it for something else, they will never end up getting what they want from it in the end.
