Do you prefer a painting the size of a paperback, a dishwasher or a car? Such questions were a part of a project that combined conceptual art, market research, humor and a road trip. THE PEOPLE'S PAINTING is the chronicle of this project - a collaboration between New York based Russian Avant-garde artists Vitaly Komar and Alex Melamid. Fascinated by the West's obsession with polls, market research and focus groups, they set out to create a painting using these revered tools of capitalism.

Komar and Melamid began by polling a representative sample of people in the UK, thereby establishing a British preference for landscapes or portraits, abstracts or figurative paintings. They then began their tour of the country in a Mini, decorated with the Union Jack, to discover more about British taste. Along the way they met and interviewed such typical people as a miner, a tattoo artist, housewives, a designer, an earl and a witch. They also canvassed opinions from experts such as the Royal Academy's director of exhibitions, Norman Rosenthal, and best selling painter Gordon King.

Based on their findings, Komar and Melamid produced a 'most wanted' painting, a true people's painting. Called "conceptualism at its most elegant and effective" (New York Times) - the painting and the film are an evocative and satirical portrait of Britain today, and an examination of the tools of late Twentieth Century capitalism.

"A deliciously tongue-in-cheek, but never patronizing, mockery of the British taste in visual art. Komar and Melamid make us think about what art is, without seeming to be lecturing us."—The Times (UK)

"A delightful light-hearted tease on popular artistic taste - a must watch for anyone who has even the tiniest interest in art. Don't miss this quiet little gem."—Radio Times (UK)

"This video is an effective educational tool to frame a meaningful discussion on art and its place in society. It will be enjoyed by high school level and above. Highly recommended."—Educational Media Reviews Online