Dan Gilroy’s satirical supernatural film, Velvet Buzzsaw, explores the topic of the commodification of art, ignoring the palette of self-expression that it was meant to be.
Art for the sake of art. Everyone that chooses to make their passion into a living- whether that be art, writing, dance or music- has one at point been faced with or will have to face the question; has my passion turned into a commodity? When does art stop existing as a form of expression and becomes solely a business?
Set within the art scene of Miami Beach, the film follows Morf Vandewalt (Jake Gyllenhaal), an apparently well-respected yet pretentious art critic. Unfulfilled in his love life with his boyfriend, Morf starts a sexual relationship with Josephina( Zawe Ashton), an over-ambitious secretary to Rhodora Haze( Rene Russo) – owner of Haze Gallery, a tough businesswoman with a past as a member of punk rock band Velvet Buzzsaw.
As each character is introduced you see that none of them is untouched by the greed to succeed, to earn more money and to become famous.
But things change when Josephina discovers a recently deceased neighbour’s apartment stashed with copies upon copies of beautifully crafted paintings – the kind that pulls you in with its hypnotic, haunting aesthetic and never lets you go.
With this revelation of Vetril Dease’s (the neighbour) work comes a point in the film where ambition turns into self-preserving greed. Everyone wants a piece of the art that immediately becomes worth a fortune.
Josephina rises up the ranks as her morals fall astray, Morf sets out on researching the artist for a book he expects will be a hit and finds himself losing his grip on reality, and the ever business-minded Rhodora begins to lock up pieces for “a rainy day” as she puts it. Others who become enamoured include snobbish art curator Gretchen, and rival art gallery owner Jon Dondon and Haze Gallery worker Bryson, all of whom try to secure a painting for their own gain.
And slowly but surely, the myriad of paintings begins to pull each person that inhibits this greed into its abyss. One by one they are picked off, meeting their end in gruesome, yet darkly funny ways.
Everyone that saw Dease’s art as a ticket to a better life, found their lives ending. A bit extreme, maybe. But it definitely gets across the point that while it can be treated as a commodity, the respect for art – any art – has a sanctity that shouldn’t be disturbed. As the end of the Netflix-only film shows, only those that loved art for being art – like John Malkovich’s artist Piers, Natalie Dyer’s well-meaning Coco, and Daveed Diggs’ Damrish remain untouched.
Dark, comical, and creepy Velvet Buzzsaw is the kind of film that doesn’t scare the wits out you – but it is unnerving. After the credits are over, art lovers are sure to look at their collections in a new way, lest the paintings punish them for their sins.
By Malvika Padin