Thanks for this Carter; this is well argued. Yes, it is an act of devotion, of love and praise.
I recall a New Yorker cartoon, depicting a collector showing a friend through his exhibition warehouse. The collector exclaims, " my Braque's are here and over there my Cezanne's ", as he points to crates with those names on them. But, this is humor and perhaps an expression of envy upon real collectors. In my experience, love and admiration is the motivation.
I remember reading your article in 2018, and it resonated with me on a personal level, because here on the streets this conversation has a deeper meaning for me. Today, the line of distinction between affection and affectation is nearly invisible. At the local level nearly every small village or larger city has a well organized cult called an artist guild and they joyfully sponsor juried shows and gallery hops. The former is a euphemism for a firing squad without a blind fold, the second- a gallery hop- is an evolution in the right direction, letting the people decide what they like. Everyone has a little more wine, just keep walking to the next artist’s work, and if you sell you sell, if you don’t, at least you’ve made some great friends.
And then there is the perverse experience of entering juried art contests, a common outlet for the inner masochist here in Michigan. For example, the statewide duck stamp competition, where artists expose themselves in front of others vying for top position as the artist of the month or the winner of this year’s stamp. The idea of a juried show of any kind saddens me, and often at these wrestling matches, judges almost always choose their friends or someone with a known record of success or already locally “famous”. Nothing sophisticated about that. I am thinking this is about the need to be recognized more than any aesthetic or even the need for cash.
Thanks for this Carter; this is well argued. Yes, it is an act of devotion, of love and praise.
I recall a New Yorker cartoon, depicting a collector showing a friend through his exhibition warehouse. The collector exclaims, " my Braque's are here and over there my Cezanne's ", as he points to crates with those names on them. But, this is humor and perhaps an expression of envy upon real collectors. In my experience, love and admiration is the motivation.
You have made important points about today’s art and its market. These thoughts deserve a wide audience.
Thank you, Judy
I remember reading your article in 2018, and it resonated with me on a personal level, because here on the streets this conversation has a deeper meaning for me. Today, the line of distinction between affection and affectation is nearly invisible. At the local level nearly every small village or larger city has a well organized cult called an artist guild and they joyfully sponsor juried shows and gallery hops. The former is a euphemism for a firing squad without a blind fold, the second- a gallery hop- is an evolution in the right direction, letting the people decide what they like. Everyone has a little more wine, just keep walking to the next artist’s work, and if you sell you sell, if you don’t, at least you’ve made some great friends.
And then there is the perverse experience of entering juried art contests, a common outlet for the inner masochist here in Michigan. For example, the statewide duck stamp competition, where artists expose themselves in front of others vying for top position as the artist of the month or the winner of this year’s stamp. The idea of a juried show of any kind saddens me, and often at these wrestling matches, judges almost always choose their friends or someone with a known record of success or already locally “famous”. Nothing sophisticated about that. I am thinking this is about the need to be recognized more than any aesthetic or even the need for cash.