The Bureau of Artistic Validation investigates the velvet Elvis

​Have you ever wondered to yourself, "What the hell is art anyway?" Does it rub you the wrong way that just about anything in the world could be considered "art?" Here to put your cynicism to rest about whether or not your roommate's blow-up doll could actually be considered a masterpiece is the Bureau of Artistic Validation. An undertaking by four MCAD students -- Lea Sorrentino, Chris Alday, Kate Thomas, and Danielle Feliciano -- the B.A.V. is a full-service detective agency which aims to validate -- or invalidate -- "artwork or art practices" with "cold, hard facts."

While you can check out current cases on their Tumblr, I recently submitted a piece of so-called "kitschy craft" to the investigators in hopes of settling a long-standing dispute about whether or not it is, in fact, art.

Item in question: A classic painting of Elvis Presley on velvet, a.k.a. a "Velvis." (Pictured below)

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Known info:

This is a medium-sized painting, bought in 1983 outside of a super market in Detroit. Many grocery items were foregone so that this work of art could be purchased.

Personal thoughts:

This is going to settle a long-standing argument between my husband's parents. I'm sort of hoping it is art. Not to take sides or anything...

A sampling of the findings from the Bureau of Artistic Validation (as completed by Chris Alday):

​"My initial research into the validity of this Velvis led me directly to the subject of kitsch. Meaning, the painting you submitted is considered an inferior, tasteless copy of a style of art. However, there appears to be more than meets the eye on the subject of velvet paintings.

Black-velvet paintings originated in ancient Kashmir, the birthplace of the fabric. The earliest pieces portrayed religious icons, and were introduced to Western Europe by Marco Polo. Some of these early works still hang in the Vatican Museums. Even the Smithsonian has two velvet paintings in its collection; a still life of a fruit bowl from the 1800s and an "oil on velvet" portrait of Andy Warhol. It is the Smithsonian itself that labels velvet Elvis as "the crème de la crème of American camp."

Based on my research, I believe Velvis lives somewhere between the level of high art and kitsch due to the fact that this exact painting may have been hand-painted by an artist instead of mass-produced by a machine. Due to the history of the medium, I cannot invalidate the piece completely, especially since it has only become kitsch in recent decades. Therefore, after extensive research, I find the case of Velvis to be validated as art."

In addition to looking into our case, Lea Sorrentino of the Bureau of Artistic Validation granted us a brief interview on the organization.

Lea Sorrentino

​How did this all get started?

It actually began because of a jacket that I purchased that resembled a detective's coat. Christopher, Kate, and myself were sitting in a filthy food court in downtown, and trying to think what we would possibly be detectives of. Art seemed like the natural answer. Thus, the Bureau of Artistic Validation was born.

Tell us a little about your staff of investigators.

There are three detectives: a conceptual detective, craft detective, and design detective. Each detective is a working artist in his or her field of expertise. Kate (design) and Christopher (craft) are both artists from California who moved here to attend MCAD. Kate is in her first year as an MFA student, and Chris is in his third year pursuing his BFA degree. I'm the conceptual detective. I moved here from Philadelphia, and this is my second year in the MCAD MFA program. Our office also consists of an operational secretary. Danielle is a second year MFA student, concentrating on graphic design.

What kinds of pieces are you expecting to get?

So far, it seems that most of our cases have involved questioning items that people deem to be "kitsch." One person brought us a photo from a famous artist, and just wanted us to find out the value of the piece. So, I think we will be surprised at what our clients will bring us. I am hoping that there is at least one or two people who will re-create some kind of performative dance for us to investigate.

Are you worried about upsetting artists? Don't you think this could get a little cutthroat?

We are taking an objective stance to every investigation. This is not about our personal opinions regarding artwork; it is about tending to a client's wants or needs regarding the case that they bring to us. The only thing that matters is that we provide a client with the evidence needed to support his or her subjective opinions. If someone gets upset about what the detectives discover, the onus is on the clients or observers to question their role as art experts. So, to sum it up: No, we are not worried about upsetting artists.

The Bureau, hard art work

​What will the location look like?

Our office is unfortunately outdated. We are working on strict budgets, and believe it or not there has not been a high demand for our services up until recently. We have made it our mission to work pro-bono, and this has created limitations when it comes to decor. Items like computers and fax machines are not an option, the Bureau uses outdated technology to run our facilities. This makes Danielle's job particularly complicated and meticulous as all of our documents are hand-typed or hand-written. During our opening, you can expect to see slide projectors, typewriters, rotary phones, rolodexes, and other retro office supplies.

What does the future look like for the B.A.V.?

We are only operating out of Gallery 148 for a week, so after our opening and closing our plans are to create remote locations that can pop up all over the city. Eventually, we would like to have mobile detective units that could set up shop at art openings, exhibitions, craft fairs, and so forth. Mobility is the future of the B.A.V.

What if one of your pieces gets brought in?

Obviously it is immediately validated.

The B.A.V will be open from October 21 to 31, and hours will be posted at the Grand Opening this Friday. All are encouraged to attend, whether or not they have a case to be investigated. The bureau asks that only images of pieces be brought to the space. However, if only the actual piece of art will suffice, they can make the appropriate accommodations. Once the investigation is complete, clients will receive a thick dossier of information regarding the work in question.

IF YOU GO:

Bureau of Artistic Validation's Grand Opening
Friday, October 21
Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Gallery 148
Free, 6 p.m.
For more info, visit bav.gallery148.com