I see your point but the total value of the work he's sold over the past 5 years is in excess of £500,000 and that's not including books, documentaries and so on. In a country where the national average salary is under £25,000 he's hardly at subsistence level is he?
In terms of the message, yes he gets a wider audience but he gets a wider audience for a weaker message. When you're wealthy and Brad Pitt is buying your stuff (I think I'm remembering that right) being counter-culture and anti-commercialism doesn't really ring true.
Not saying I disagree with the decisions he's made, just that inevitably success will undermine his artistic position.
In terms of the message, yes he gets a wider audience but he gets a wider audience for a weaker message. When you're wealthy and Brad Pitt is buying your stuff (I think I'm remembering that right) being counter-culture and anti-commercialism doesn't really ring true.
Not saying I disagree with the decisions he's made, just that inevitably success will undermine his artistic position.