Art That Mocks You

Fart art. Words don’t do it justice. The video in the article explains it…


“Wake Up, Beeple!,” by Valentina Di Liscia, Hyperallergic, December 4, 2025.

Crypto-backed artworks at Art Basel Miami Beach advance the wealth mechanisms they claim to subvert and make you, the viewer, a participant in the ploy.

A monstrous specimen of art as social commentary takes form when the work in question replicates the mechanisms the artist boasts about subverting, and at Art Basel Miami Beach, in a new section titled Zero 10 backed by the crypto marketplace OpenSea, Jack Butcher’s “Self Checkout” (2025) is its most shameless manifestation.

The installation consists of a checkout counter powered by Stripe terminals that beckon visitors to tap their cards and pay any amount, receiving a printed receipt whose length is proportional to their payment and comes with an “NFT companion.” A ticker above the counter tracks the lucre from an initial value of -$75,000, Butcher’s stated investment in the piece. Read the whole article here.

Art Basel Ladybug Prankster Still at Large

Art Basel Opening Bugged Out
by Todd Wright
NBCMiami.com
December 3, 2009

Lady bugs make an appearance at Art Basel

ladybugs-200What do you get when you mix over-priced, barely recognizable art pieces with ladybugs?

A police investigation.

Nevermind graffiti artists and art thieves, Miami police are on the hunt for the person who released thousands of ladybugs in a VIP lounge at the Art Basel grand opening.

The little, harmless flying bugs were everywhere when visitors entered the Miami Beach Convention Center to attend the world-renowned art festival.

Police said they found several bags in the men’s bathroom and believe that’s where the ladybugs were likely hidden and then released. Yet no one noticed the bug bandit come or go.

Maybe people were too blinded or dizzy from the bright color combinations and eccentric art pieces to notice someone carrying buzzing bags into the convention center.

Police haven’t ruled out that the stunt could have been a part of some live art piece by a budding artist looking to express themselves.