I really hated that last post I put up. Such a downer! It's going to take a few posts to get some distance from it. Here we go.....
I've been back home a whole week now. My South American adventure complete. I made a work of art that I am very proud of and now it's time to enjoy the summer. I came back to a jungle of a yard. I have no green thumb, but have managed to keep what landscaping the previous owner put in alive since I took over. There had been a lot of rain, so everything was green and overgrown. Once the triple digit weather ceased, I got out there and started the clean-up process. I know this blog is supposed to be me talking about art type things. I'm getting to it. As I pulled out weeds and wannabe trees, I thought about the books I read while away - Seven Days in the Art World, I Bought Andy Warhol and I Sold Andy Warhol (Too Soon). I highly recommend each of these reads. I'll probably devote my next few posts to these books because they gave me so much to think about and I want to share my thoughts with you.
'Seven Days' is a very enlightening look at how the blue chip art market works from all sides the dealer, the artist, the auction house, the art award, the critic, studio visit and biannual exhibition. I am happy to report that after reading this book, I still want to continue my art career and make art. However, I now realize that it is extremely likely that I will NEVER make the kind of money that would allow me to live on and just make art. To make that happen and get on the radar of the untouchables that could make that happen, there are some crucial steps that need to be take:
Make strong, interesting work - check
Get art degree from prestigious art school or program - check
Continue showing work after receiving MFA - check
So far, I think I've been taking the appropriate steps to navigate my art career successfully. Now, there are some things in play that I have no control over. I made my piece a while ago with the fact that the powers that dictate and control the world of art still cater largely to young, white male artists. I'm a black woman, by the way. These days, there are more minority artists getting recognized, but when you see any given show, or look at the list of represented artists in most galleries, there are usually far more white men than any other group being supported. What are you going to do? It's the prerogative of the director/gallerist to support whoever they deem worthy. No, that's a conversation worth acknowledging, but not loosing sleep over. The crucial step I'm talking about involves pulling a Dorian Gray. A crucial step to being "successful" as an artist is to never get old.
Neither your work or YOU should age. When I think about the idea that it's the young artist that brings fresh, exciting work to the masses, I can get with that to a degree. Sure, we had the Beautiful Loosers and the YBA's, but what are the majority of these artists producing now? A few are still going strong and making bank. While most, it would seem, have burned out. Please correct me if I'm wrong. In any case, it would seem that the art controllers want what's fresh and new and that equates to artists under 30. Where does that leave old-timers like myself? I'm 41, by they way. I think this situation causes artists to become frustrated and in some cases to give up on being an artist. Some may re-invent themselves as an arts administrator of some sort (gallerist, museum director, dealer, etc.). Then, they can dictate what is good art and who gets shown and so on because even though, in the past, they may have been a young, talented artist, they may not have been a young, talented artist in the right place and at the right time. This is what I'm thinking about at the moment....and where did that huge Garter snake under my couch come from?!
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