From completely white canvases to simple abstract colors, these seemingly basic works can cost you millions.

從全白的畫布到簡單抽象的顏色，這些看起來很基本的作品都要價上百萬。

So what makes their price so high, and how can they possibly be worth this much money?

是什麼讓它們定價這麼高？ 怎麼可能值那麼多錢？

Modern art is a wide field, covering everything from around 1870 to 1970.

現代藝術是一個很廣的範圍，涵蓋了 1870 年到 1970 年間的一切。

But say "modern art" to someone on the street, and chances are, they possibly picture something like this.

但在街上跟某人談「現代藝術」，他們很有可能會想到類似這樣的東西。

At the turn of the century, art changed.

在世代交際時，藝術改變了。

From the birth of abstract impressionism to the minimalists and even performance art, art was no longer just about representing the world with skill.

從抽象表現主義、極簡主義到行為藝術，藝術不再只是向世人展現技藝了。

That skill faded away after photography was invented.

那項技藝在照相技術發明之後就沒落了。

Once photography was invented, that was a skill the camera could do, so artists no longer felt that was their primary reason for making art.

隨著照相技術的發明，代表相機能夠做到該技藝。所以藝術家們就不再把展現技藝當成主要創作動機。

Art isn't about beauty; that's... it never was, really.

藝術不是只有美感，真的，從來都不是。

Art generally became more conceptual and more challenging.

藝術總體上變得更有概念和更具有挑戰。

But this change wasn't popular with everyone.

但這類的改變並不受每個人歡迎。

In a 2016 study of the British public, 28% of people don't consider this art.

一項 2016 年英國大眾的調查指出，28% 的人不認同這種藝術。

65% of people don't think this is art.

65% 的人覺得這不是藝術。

And 83% of the public definitely don't consider this to be art.

83% 的大眾肯定認為這不是藝術。

Over 100 years after its creation, the work is still somehow as divisive and controversial as ever with the public, but that hasn't stopped record prices being set.

在創作的 100 年後，這種作品仍在某種程度上像過去一樣，在大眾中引起分歧和爭議，但這並沒有停止出現破紀錄的價格。

I think most people think that, um, modern or contemporary artists are having a laugh at their expense, and nobody wants to feel a fool.

我覺得大多數人認為現代或當代藝術家都是在嘲笑這些人被當凱子，並沒人想要被當成蠢蛋。

For many who are immediately dismissive of these pieces, frustration also often comes when they see the price.

許多人直接對這些作品表示輕視，挫折感也通常會在他們看到價格後隨之而來。

Most of us, I think, tend to be cynics, and we, I think, a lot of times, associate art, um, with value, um, and I think that triggers the question of, "Well, why... why is it that much?"

大多數人往往都抱持懷疑的態度，我認為在很多時候，我們都把藝術與價格聯想在一塊。我認為這會引發一個問題：「為什麼會這麼貴？」

Or, "Why such a high value if, you know, I could probably do this?"

「如果我可能也做得出來，那為什麼這能值那麼多錢？」

[I] think, unless you're in the market and actively buying art, there's no need to look at art and think about price tag.

我認為除非你是在市場上活躍的藝術買家，不然沒有必要去看藝術或考慮他的價格標籤。

It shouldn't... I mean, it shouldn't be the way you look at art.

這不應該是你欣賞藝術的方式。

For the artists involved, what looks simple can be the culmination of a lifetime's work.

對藝術家來說，看似簡單的作品可能是一生作品的巔峰。

Take the "Black Square", for example, painted by turn-of-the-century avant-garde artist Kazimir Malevich.

以世紀之交的前衛藝術家卡濟米爾·馬列維奇所繪製的《黑方塊》作為例子。

This simple black painting didn't come out of nowhere.

這個簡單的黑色油畫並不是憑空出現的。

It's the result of 20 years of simplification and development.

這是 20 年來簡化和進化而成的產物。

When it was shown, the "Black Square" was a revolutionary symbol, exhibited at the top corner of the room, a spot reserved for orthodox religious icons.

《黑方塊》是一個具革命性的象徵，當它展示出來時，被放在房間最高的一角，一個原為東正教宗圖像的保留位置。

Making this work wasn't exactly an easy decision, either, and in 1930, Stalin's regime confiscated Malevich's artworks and manuscripts, and he was jailed for two months.

創作這種作品也不是個輕易的決定，1930 年時史達林政權沒收了馬列維奇的藝術作品和原稿，並且判他入獄兩個月。

Yes, the white canvases or the black canvases are very rarely all they've done.

藝術家很少只創作出白色油畫或黑色油畫。

They haven't just come out of school and said, "I could paint a black canvas."

他們不會從學校一出來就說「我可以畫出那種黑色油畫」。

I mean, as much as we might think we could do that⏤yes, we could do that⏤but the artist has thought of it and probably had a journey, quite a long journey, and a process to get there.

我們可能會覺得自己也做得到，對，我們也畫得出來。但畫家對這幅畫有構思過，可能是經歷一場很長的旅途和過程才能畫出來。

The works aren't just made for profit.

作品不該只是為了利潤而做。

It's often only after the artist is dead that the art can fetch the incredible price that it's reached today.

通常只有在畫家死後，作品才會在現代以驚人的價格售出。

In 2008, one of Malevich's abstract works sold for $60 million, and the demand for these important modern works is only going to increase.

2008 年時，一幅馬列維奇的抽象藝術作品以 6 千萬美元售出，對這些重要的現代藝術作品的需求只會不斷增加。

The natural trend is for you to see a... a... a rise in prices, but that's because it's... these true masterpieces are rare to find because they're really all in museums.

你所能見的自然趨勢就是價格上漲，但是因為這些大師的真品都在美術館裡，所以非常難找。

But setting an actual price can be tough.

但制定一個實際價格是棘手的。

In the end, the value is only going to be what people are willing to pay.

最終價格只會是人們願意付的價格。

As long as there's going to be artists producing, there's always going to be, sort of, shifts in tendencies and tastes, I would say, also, in tastes in the market.

只要有藝術家創作，就會對潮流和品味有某種的轉變，我認為也會改變市場的品味。

It seems like every year, there's a new record price, and as extreme wealth inequality increases, so do the number of millionaires willing to pay the fortune required for these works.

隨著極端貧富差距的增加，願意為這些作品支付巨款的百萬富翁也在增加，似乎讓每年都會有新的破紀錄價格。

No matter what the artist intended, art is now seen as an easy investment by many, and companies have appeared to treat art purely as an asset for financial gain.

不論藝術家的意圖是什麼，藝術現在被許多人認為是一項簡易的投資，公司似乎將藝術視為純粹增加財務的資產。

But despite the ever-increasing prices of the modernist masterpieces, for 99% of the artists out there, their work has always been a labor of love.

但儘管當代藝術家的大師作品價格不斷上漲，對 99% 的藝術家來說，他們的作品還是出自於他們的愛好。

There are obviously people out there with a lot of money who view art just to be a commodity and nothing else, but there's gonna be people who purchase or engage with it... with it because they take genuine pleasure from it or it stimulates them or they feel it enriches them.

顯然富有的人還是把藝術視為一種商品，但還是有人會因為他們真的從作品獲得樂趣、刺激到他們或豐富了他們，而去購買或被吸引住。

I'm an abstract painter, um, not really dealing much with form.

我是一個抽象派的畫家，對形式並沒有太講究。

I became quite obsessed; I was painting all day and all night, and it was just something that really, that kind of took a hold of me, so.

我每日每夜都在畫畫，我變得非常著迷，像是全部投入。

It's...not easy being an artist in London.

要在倫敦當藝術家很不容易。

There's a lot of really good talent out there; I think you've really gotta be good to actually make any money.

這裡有很多有天份的人，我覺得你要很厲害才有辦法真的賺到錢。

You don't have the, I suppose, network, initially.

一開始你不會有門路或人脈。

Yeah, it's a really expensive habit, to be honest.

老實說這是一個非常昂貴的愛好。

I suppose everybody's got their vices, but um, it's, it's my, kind of, passion and hobby, so that's where all my, um, time, effort, and, kind of, spare finances go.

我認為每個人都有缺點，但這是我的熱忱跟愛好。這就是我投入所有時間、精力與多餘的錢的地方。

Trends in the market may change, and prices will shift, but the popularity of modern and contemporary art isn't going anywhere.

市場裡的趨勢可能會改變，價格也會變，但現代和當代藝術的受歡迎程度可不是隨處可見。