Here's something people think about and talk about, but rarely agree on.
Masterpiece or Mystery? Why is Some Art Worth Millions?
When Mark Rothko painted Orange, Red, Yellow in 1961, on the left, it was simply another painting.
Fifty years later, it sold at Christie’s for £53.8 million. But if a child produced something similar while playing with paint, nobody would call it a masterpiece, except perhaps the parents. Yet show that same work in a major gallery, give it context and a story, and suddenly it becomes important, something we accept as ‘real’ art.
What makes something art?
Art only becomes art when someone sees something in it. A red circle on a black canvas. A cow preserved in formaldehyde. A chair fixed twelve feet up a wall. To some people these are powerful artistic statements. To others, they are completely baffling.
But whether you feel genuine joy or dismiss it as nonsense makes no difference. Both reactions are valid, because for many, it is not the object itself that matters, but the reaction it creates, the conversation, the different perspectives. The art is simply the vehicle.
Think about art in the context of music
We're talking about the sort of music that evokes an emotional response thirty years after you first heard it, and instantly snaps you back to those sights, sounds, and emotions… and perhaps even the moves. That is pure art.
Art has that same power, but it has something else too. Art can change depending on where it hangs, the time of day, the light around it, and even how you're feeling when you look at it.
So what should you trust?
We don’t choose a car, a house, a wine or a holiday simply because someone else tells us it’s good. Yet with art, we're almost expected to accept that a piece is exceptional, or ‘important’, because someone else says it is.
Why is that?
Art is worth millions not because of what it is, but because of what enough people believe it to be.
Ultimately, it’s a great piece of art because you say it is. Perhaps the safest rule is simple: choose art the way you choose music, the kind that might still mean something to you thirty years later.
In Conversation
I recently caught up with colour specialist Sara Fernández, and I asked her a simple question:
Does colour really change how we feel, or do we just think it does?
Her answer was so interesting.
Colour is not just decorative; it is deeply psychological. The tones we surround ourselves with can calm, energise, or even unsettle us, often without us realising why. It’s a reminder that what we choose to live with is never neutral.
See the full conversation here
On The Easel
Sally continues to explore layering and texture in her latest pieces.
All work in progress, but the results are striking and will soon be available to view in a new Gallery section coming to the website in Spring 2026.
Centre Stage
The hardcover silk notebook
Designed for everyday use, but made to feel anything but ordinary.
The artwork is printed on Monroe satin and bonded seamlessly to both covers, creating a finish that is smooth, tactile, and visually striking.
It works just as well on a desk or in a bag as it does left on a coffee table.
See the notebook here
From The Journal
The Journal is a collection of ideas, insights, and conversations that explore the creative world around Zanoogo.
From the craft behind materials to the stories shaping design today, these articles share what inspires us, and what connects art, colour, and craftsmanship in everyday life.
Good To Know
Here are a few things that people often ask us about:
1) Are Zanoogo artworks original?
Yes. Every artwork featured on Zanoogo is original and exclusive to us.
All designs are licensed specifically for Zanoogo and are not available on other products or marketplaces. Our current collection includes hand-painted, photographic, and digitally created work, all developed in-house.
Over time, we will introduce selected external artists to the platform.
2) Can I buy the original painted artwork?
We are in the throes of developing a new Gallery section on the website, due to launch in Spring 2026, which will feature original painted canvases.
In the meantime, high-quality giclée canvas and archival paper prints are available in the Wall Art section.
3) Where do you deliver to?
We currently deliver to mainland UK addresses using tracked courier services. Orders are fully insured until they reach you, and tracking details are sent automatically once your item has shipped.
We hope to expand to international delivery soon, but if you’re outside the UK and interested in our products, please get in touch as we may be able to arrange a bespoke shipment.
