Antiques Roadshow guest left stunned as Kanye West’s high school artwork returns a whopping five figure sum
AN Antiques Roadshow guest was left stunned when Kanye West’s high school artwork drew a whopping five figure sum.
The rapper and record producer, 47, is said to have created the pieces around 1995.
In a resurfaced clip, the star’s pieces are evaluated on the US version of Antiques Roadshow.
Kanye’s first cousin inherited the artwork following the death of the star’s mother, Donda, in 2007.
The cousin’s spouse explained: “My husband is Kanye West‘s first cousin.
“When Kanye’s mother passed away in 2007, my husband received them as part of the estate about a year after she passed.”
Included are a black and white self-portrait with horns and chains, and an abstract portrait.
In addition to this, a sketch of a woman as well as paintings of a green forest.
From scenes aired in 2020, appraiser Laura Woolley offered her opinion of Kanye’s artwork.
She said: “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.
“These pieces demonstrate an extraordinary facility as an artist.
“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.
“To have early pieces like this from someone who really will be an important cultural figure of our time is really fantastic.”
Once sold for $12 to $15 each, the collection was said to fetch between $16,000 to $23,000.
However, by 2021, a collector called Vinoda Basnayake had acquired the art.
A source said: “Kanye’s cousin owned the trove, which was created by Kanye during his days as a student at Polaris School [in Chicago].”