Post #52608 by Formikahini on Thu, Sep 25, 2003 10:08 AM

I've never seen this issue addressed: the short lifespan of acrylic paints.

When I was a kid and took painting lessons, both oil and acrylic, I was told that oil lasts, while acrylic starts to break down at around 50 years. Can any current artists out there tell me if the nature of acrylic paints has significantly changed since my childhood?

It seems to me that people are paying HUGE sums of money ($8,500!?) for things that they won't even be able to pass onto their kids, nor re-sell when they get old and want to retire to a mobilehome park in Florida (everyone's dream, right :wink:).

I discussed this once with a fellow TC-er, who proposed that maybe as Shag's work tips the hat towards our past mid-century, with its glorification of consumerism, why not make the art disposable too? Maybe that Josh himself might not see his work as High Art, and therefore it doesn't need to stick around in museums (or homes) after its glory days.

Any thoughts?