Blue Ivy, Age 6, Casually Bid $19,000 on a Piece of Art

Who runs the world? Blue Ivy Carter. She’s a rapper, a fashion mogul, an Internet meme — and apparently, an art connoisseur. On a casual Saturday night family outing with Mom and Dad, Blue Ivy, once again, stole the show. The Carter clan were out in Los Angeles to celebrate the Wearable Art Gala, hosted by Beyoncé‘s mother, Tina Knowles Lawson, and in support of Where Art Can Occur (WACO), a nonprofit providing arts mentorship programs to teenagers.

Dressed in gold gowns and coordinating crowns — and looking like literal pieces of art — Bey and Blue slayed in outfits inspired by the Black Panther theme for the evening: “From WACO to Wakanda.”

But Blue wasn’t just there to pose for a matchy Mommy and Me photo-op. Vanity Fair  reports that during the charity auction, the six-year-old scion was quick to raise a paddle. Her preferred piece? An acrylic painting of Sidney Poitier by artist Tiffanie Anderson. Blue Ivy bid $17,000, was outbid by Tyler Perry, and then raised her paddle for $19,000.

“Her mother and father have been talking about how you gather art and that is a big deal for African Americans,” Star Jones said when Blue’s paddle first went up. But apparently, even Jay-Z has a limit. After Blue Ivy bet $19,000, her father wrestled the paddle from her small hands, making way for Tyler Perry to win the auction and take home the painting. (Which is kind of rude right? Like, let the little girl win Madea.)

Blue won’t have Sidney Poitier hanging on her playroom wall, but she did take home a piece of her own: a 36” x 36” composite of deconstructed law and medical books, acquired for the toddler-friendly price of $10,000.

And Blue Ivy Carter left the evening with another honour: Internet fame. Twitter (understandably) couldn’t handle the absurdity and opulence of a six-year-old spending five figures at an art auction. Here are a few of our favourite reactions: