The K Foundation burns a million pounds

[ska invita]

I remember seeing a film about it - not sure if it was there one, or the Omnibus one.

Seem to recall them making the money, then nailing a million to a board and framing it and trying to get it exhibited. No art gallery would touch it, so they got pissed off and burnt it. They clearly had very mixed feelings about burning it, and afterwards kind of wish they hadn't.

 

[BadlyDrawnGirl]

Watch it again and notice the wave of dread that washes over their faces, as though they're thinking: "what the fuck have we done?"

 

[grimble]

Back in the day, I used to get their mailing list stuff (a printout from an old Amstrad, with holes down the side - ooh back in the early 90s) - as you probably know they used to delete stuff (records etc) pretty quickly. I wanted a video that they'd made, but suspected it was no longer available - so I sent them a cheque and jokingly said that if it was no longer for sale they could burn my cheque.
A few weeks later I got a KLF branded envelope in the post, and when I opened it up it was a load of ashes and half my cheque, burnt and sooty.
In fact it's framed and on my wall in front of me as I type.

 

[danny la rouge]

It was a hoax.

 

[lunatrick]

I don't reckon it was a hoax - watching the documentary they seemed genuinely gutted that they couldn't sell their burnt art for the same money as they had put in....backfired I reckon!

if it was a hoax it must have been elaborate - they had independant witnesses etc....seemed pretty genuine to me...perhaps I'm naive?

anyway the rest of their art statements have all been real - turner prize etc.....

I suppose at the end of the day 'I want to believe!'

 

[MysteryGuest]

You know the real reason why they stopped all the KLF/Mu Mu stuff was because they were contacted by the real Illuminati, who told them that either they stopped fucking about with their imagery - or else. True story.

 

[pagan]

That's funny - I ended up on that page a couple of weeks ago after a very tangetal Wiki session.

Great idea but poorly executed imo. Why Jura, why not Leicester Square. Why not release it from a hot air balloon over Hackney?

Did they get the money back? Is there a link for that?

 

[Dubversion]

It was a hoax.

it wasn't, you know - and that's a fact.

 

[Onket]

I've got a bit of that photo he cut into 20,000 pieces.

 

[skyscraper101]

I reckon it was SOOO a hoax. lol. Burn a million yah right

 

[Dubversion]

I reckon it was SOOO a hoax. lol. Burn a million yah right

except they did.

 

[Dask]

The million quid was burnt.

However you can't take a million quid out of circulation, so a representative from the Bank Of England was present to make sure that the money was suitably destroyed.

Then Cauty and Drummond had to pay £70,000 for the administrative costs of reprinting a million pounds.

 

[Dubversion]

but they didn't get the million back, it was just reprinted, isn't that the case?

 

[rorymac]

Bill Drummond was at milesy's wedding and I asked him straight if he had really burned a million quid of their own money. I asked him to 'answer truthfully please Bill' and it must have made him have a little think becasue he said it only cost them 40 grand and they got that back too. He said 'I did in my bollocks burn a million quid of my own money .. for fuck sake would you eh lol'?
'I would in my bollocks Bill to be fair but it was a great stunt anyway cos it made evryone think and that' I said.
'Cheers Rors' he said.
He weren't all that and he wouldn't even get his round in.

 

[Onket]

and he wouldn't even get his round in.

Scottish, see.

 

[chintz]

I've got a bit of that photo he cut into 20,000 pieces.

I got a bit of that too.

 

[Meltingpot]

except they did.

I think so too.

 

[skyscraper101]

yeah..monopoly money. I don't believe they did it for one minute.

 

[Dubversion]

except they did burn it

real money.

 

[skyscraper101]

Alright then, they really did do it

 

[aurora green]

It's funny, I was having this same discussion in the pub only the other day, me insisting that the dosh was actually real, and really good mates of mine equally insistant that it wasn't...

 

[Dubversion]

you'll have to trust me on this, but i do know they did

 

[Winston Legthigh]

I found this a bit to warped when they did it. I still struggle to understand what the point was. It's just like rich cunts using $100 bills to light $100 Havanas to my way of thinking. Pretty sick.

I agree. I read somewhere one of 'em saying that he'd only really regret doing it if one of their kids got sick and needed a really expensive treatment.....

which is fair enough, but other people's kids are sick so seems a bit selfish to me.

 

[renegadechicken]

didn't they initially try to award it for the worst piece of art in the turner prize, and the winner of the turner prize was also the alternative winner for the worst piece of art, and she refused the money, when it was nailed to a board, so they said if you dont accept it we will burn it. she didn't and they did.

 

[Dubversion]

nope, you've mangled about 3 different parts of the story together there. If i can be bothered tomorrow, i'll unmangle them

 

[wiskey]

Aaargh - reminds me of a long night's argument in a tipi in Wales, Dub

dear god what a night.

 

[wiskey]

didn't they initially try to award it for the worst piece of art in the turner prize, and the winner of the turner prize was also the alternative winner for the worst piece of art, and she refused the money, when it was nailed to a board, so they said if you dont accept it we will burn it. she didn't and they did.

http://www.geocities.com/ResearchTriangle/7535/KFound.htm

 

[Loupylou]

I thought it was interesting what Rachel Whitbred said about winning the KLF Turner Prize Award of £40,000, how it caused her quite a bit of grief, but she gave it away to charity.
She says she didn't want to accept it but had to else she'd be held responsible for them burning it.
something about that emotional blackmail and public humiliation to someone who in no way deserved it makes me queasy.

http://arts.guardian.co.uk/art/visualart/story/0,,2164382,00.html
Scroll down to Rachel Whitbred

 

[Dubversion]

ah she deserved it - silly box-building arse.

 

[Loupylou]

I know you're taking the piss, but who the fuck are they to select an artist and decide she's crap then force her to 'accpet' an award cos they want to make a point, but they don't even know what the point is ?
YAWN

i've got respect for anyone who uses a house as a mold for concrete !