How Much Are Kanye West’s (Quite Skillful) High School Drawings Worth? Around $20,000, According to Antiques Roadshow

Kanye West’s ego might be even bigger these days, thanks to a
rave review of his high school artwork from an appraiser on PBS’s
long-running Antiques
Roadshow, who valued a quintet of works on paper at an
impressive $16,000 to $23,000.

“What really attracted me to these pieces was the fact that a
lot of people are probably not aware of how talented he
is an artist outside his music career,” said appraiser Laura
Woolley, of the appraisal service Collector’s Lab
in Los Angeles. “These pieces demonstrate an extraordinary facility
as an artist.”

The works include a surreal drawing of a multi-eyed, horned
figure in chains; two verdant landscapes; and two portraits, all
done in graphite, gouache, and scratchboard. They wound up on the
air courtesy of West’s first cousin-in-law, whose husband
inherited the collection as part of the estate of West’s mother,
who died in 2007.

The works featured on the episode represent just a small part of
the inherited collection—meaning that West’s relations could be in
for quite a substantial payday, should they sell the whole lot.

Kanye has many ties to art—though this is perhaps the earliest
work of his own that’s ever been made public. He’s collaborated
with Takashi Murakami for multiple album covers; donated $10 million to
James Turrell’s Roden Crater; and even debuted
a waxworks-style installation at LA’s Blum & Poe
gallery in 2016. He also has shown off some of his own
handiwork on Instagram.

“It’s an interesting thing when you look at the art that’s done
by a celebrity… the values rise and fall along with the popularity
of the celebrity,” said Woolley.

Despite West’s penchant for courting controversy, she believes
the rapper will have an enduring legacy, and that the value of his
artwork will only increase over time. “To have early pieces like
this from someone who really will be an important cultural figure
of our time is really fantastic,” Woolley added.

West’s family had also held onto a flyer advertising his first
art show, held in 1995, when West was just 17, and studying at the
Polaris Charter Academy in Chicago. It recounts West’s art studies
from the age of four, at institutions including Art Institute of
Chicago.

“I have to say he has a very impressive resume,” noted Woolley.
The short bio also detailed West’s plans to study art in college
while pursuing a career as a music producer: “We all know what
happened; obviously music kind of took over.”

Watch the appraisal of West’s work
below. 

The post How Much Are Kanye West’s (Quite Skillful) High
School Drawings Worth? Around $20,000, According to Antiques
Roadshow appeared first on artnet News.