Ola!
Curse and Coffee friends,
Today, we explore old rope as a piece of art.
Hit reply and let us know what you think (we read all of your kind words).
Coffee at the ready…
The Big Sip
Image: Wallpaper
The take: A British artist is selling 10 tonnes of old rope for £1 million. Yes, rope. The kind you tie boats with.
What happened: On 13 November 2025, British artist David Shrigley unveiled "Exhibition of Old Rope" at Stephen Friedman Gallery in London. Four giant piles of reclaimed rope. Total weight: 10 tonnes. Total price: £1 million.
Why it matters: Someone will probably buy it. Because contemporary art stopped being about beauty or skill decades ago. Now it's about who can sell the most ridiculous concept with the straightest face.
What to watch: Whether a collector actually bites before the show closes on 20 December 2025. If it sells, we've officially reached the point where "art" is just expensive trash with good marketing. If it doesn't sell, Shrigley gets to say "I told you it was old rope" and call that the real artwork.
Either way, he wins.
The material is old rope. But the price tag isn’t.
Sponsor Break
Before we slurp into today’s brew…
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