What's the point...

Steve Gray · Joined: 17 Aug 2008 Posts: 1569 Location: Geelong

Ok I will probably answer the question with my own reply but here goes.

I went to an opening of a multi space gallery on Friday Night, saw a mates work up with three others on one level, in another room more work by an Art Dude and etc, then on level two more... and so on for level one.

Lots of friends and family brimming with pride (and good on them...)

Some works seem to have sold (to who I don't know, family or collectors etc I am not privvy to that info so I can't tell.) On my mates level nothing sold, which I could see.

He's not fussed if he sells or not in this show it adds to his CV, and while that's important/useful, what's the bigger point...

Ok so he pays to hire the space and the gallery gets $$ in for that... if they sell work they get $$ for that so they win ($$ wise) and will probably get a "goodly chunk" of people through due to the number of artists being displayed in one multi "space".

So.. what's the bigger Visual ART point.

The gallery makes $$ the Artist builds their ego (that's good btw in this context...) and CV (also good...) But in a few months time when it's all gone and forgotten how has this added to artistic depth, cultural depth etc in the bigger picture...

Ok the artist and friends will have explored their cultural depth or had some deeper cultural involvement/connection (which is what it might all be about) explored some human condition or three (another about point perhaps) but we as a bigger cultural mob, how have we benefitted.

If we take pictures of all the shows on in any given month and put them in a mag, the impact is different (sense of scale etc) so it's hard to get a real idea of the work esp if it's more conceptual. and the amount of work (staggering) is hard to come to terms with as it would probably push us over a threshold of some kind somehow.

Another point, if the Artist is presenting work to sell and none sells, bum deal... so they would probably go to another gallery to show, or have representation at a gallery they don't have to hire, until they sell. But art is more than just selling...

So what's the point? do they show at hire spaces to build the CV to a point where a gallery representation is on the cards or at least more likely? and if so how much investment does it take to get to that point (how long is a piece of string...)

For some like me who go to galleries and check out works every now and then, I get to see a lot of works and get my "cultural boost/kick in the pants." nice for me, but I am left wondering what's the point of the Visual Arts, if many people are not going through the galleries to have the experience.

I am part of a group show in Aug ( http://regionalis.com.au to see some of the stuff and what it's about.) But apart from my little moment of "glory" (I am very glad to be in there and showing, and so are the others) but in the bigger "art world" picture, what's the point?

Will we/I make a strong enough impact to get a critic to "evaluate" the show to get a foot hold in on making an "Art Worldly" statement? or is it enough to just be doing Art for Art sake to hell with the $$ cost to me?

ENOUGH!... I am sure there are plenty of folks who have had these issues or similar float in their heads at some stage to some degree... is there an answer though?

Stefan Maguran · Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2009 11:16 am Post subject: Re - What's the point...

There is an answer and I am working very hard on it, in spite of all the obstacles - including the negative reaction from the art community - the ones the answer is for.
Artists have this wonderful habit of taking a gun from time to time and shooting themselves in the foot.
I am organising a festival and a gallery this year. The conditions, I think are quite reasonable, yet I get more interest from the US than from here. Why is that? here people are still waiting for the big galleries to kock on their doors with offers of wealth and fame.
It's not going to happen.
Instead of getting a kick in the bum following this post, a better option would be for artists reading this to give me their support in what I'm doing and that way I can spend more time on growing the idea rather than trying to reach my goals while trying to make ends meet. But that's just wishful thinking.

velvet · Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 1655 Location: Hunter Valley

The question has wandered about in the dark in my head from time to time Steve. I got tired of trying to answer it, took a day-job and concentrated on the smaller art world, i.e the local non-profit community gallery, where hire is affordable, commission is 10% and it's *only* 50 kms drive away. After four shows my work has a bit of a following and the last two broke even. If that's as good as it gets, I can live with it.

Tango · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 1360 Location: Melbourne

What's the point ?
The fact is that in reality there is no point.
The fact is 150000 people die every day
The fact is given time you will join them,
along with our whole solar system and every other star,
and all will become night.
But knowing all this I still get up every morning and paint, because if you have this thing called life there is no point and a lot of pain in sitting arouind waiting for it to end, so embrace life and the opportunity it gives you to create & participate,,
And who knows when all has become night, creation might have its way, and we will all get the chance to do it all again Very Happy

I seem to have got off the point a bit ,, Hey, but that's life..

Stefan Maguran · Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2009 7:09 pm Post subject: Re - What's the point...

I think you're right, velvet and Tango. Not sure if you know, but if you have some work that you would like to share with the wider community in Adelaide, I would be happy to accept it.

Jo Tyler · Joined: 13 Aug 2008 Posts: 489 Location: Newcastle

I'm not sure who I'm agreeing with here, I got confused, Tango I think.

Life is just life, it's random, there is no fair in the big issues of death and loss, it just happens, it's random.
Just enjoy it the best way you can, if art is your passion then be an artist, don't worry about the politics of it all, if you want to make a living out of your art then just do it the best way you can, whichever path that takes, dream big or enjoy the now of it all, as long as you're happy with what you're doing.
That's the point.

ditch · Joined: 02 May 2008 Posts: 8 Location: Yarra Valley

I feel that steve is not asking the "Big Question" as to was is the meaning of Life, more what is the point of playing the Art game.

I imagine we all create because we enjoy it and because we can, but what then? Do we hang it in our own house, give it away to relatives or jump on the merry go round of getting into gallerys?

Good question Steve, I often ask myself the same thing.
Looking forward to the replies.

Steve Gray · Joined: 17 Aug 2008 Posts: 1569 Location: Geelong

I find it interesting you say "happy" as I have come across many a tormented souls who say "I have no choice BUT to make art" some have happy chunks of time, while some seem to almost revel in the darkness.

Generally I am happy but I guess my opening thread was more about how we contribute (if any) to the bigger art picture. whatever that is, or might be..

I get the idea of randomness and the fleeting moments of Clarity and muddy imagery... who am I? who are we? why do we? Why don't we, how will we etc...

Should we have a lofty community of ART a lofty Ideal a lofty anything, a higher plane to aspire to and not just technically.

thecatsgrin · Joined: 18 Apr 2009 Posts: 2181 Location: Gippsland

So.. what's the bigger Visual ART point.

The gallery makes $$ the Artist builds their ego (that's good btw in this context...) and CV (also good...) But in a few months time when it's all gone and forgotten how has this added to artistic depth, cultural depth etc in the bigger picture...

Ok the artist and friends will have explored their cultural depth or had some deeper cultural involvement/connection (which is what it might all be about) explored some human condition or three (another about point perhaps) but we as a bigger cultural mob, how have we benefitted?

Art only touches and benefits those that see it... other changes come from a pass down, ripple effect....
It is sort of like asking how Australian rules football benefits society on an individual, community and world scale...( I cant stand it, it benefits/culturally enriches me not at all, society and community ...subjective, world...very little if at all)

Another point, if the Artist is presenting work to sell and none sells, bum deal... so they would probably go to another gallery to show, or have representation at a gallery they don't have to hire, until they sell. But art is more than just selling...
So what's the point? do they show at hire spaces to build the CV to a point where a gallery representation is on the cards or at least more likely? and if so how much investment does it take to get to that point (how long is a piece of string...)
This seems to depend totally on what an individuals, aim, desire and commitment are...would they still create if there was no one to appreciate it?? (usually yes...)
There are always options... sell one type of art work marketed to sell, and introduce your 'art with meaning' once you have a foot in the door.(?)
Is it selling out if you do this...or paving a way to bigger things??

For some like me who go to galleries and check out works every now and then, I get to see a lot of works and get my "cultural boost/kick in the pants." nice for me, but I am left wondering what's the point of the Visual Arts, if many people are not going through the galleries to have the experience.

Visual arts are a way of communicating ones inner thoughts..creativity, fun and a variety of other emotions and persuits... they are individual and self orientated in nature... the same is in the viewing.
There seems to be a vague set of rules that it is governed and judged by...but basically the appreciation of visual arts is also individual interpretation and appreciation.

I am part of a group show in Aug ( http://regionalis.com.au to see some of the stuff and what it's about.) But apart from my little moment of "glory" (I am very glad to be in there and showing, and so are the others) but in the bigger "art world" picture, what's the point?
The point is that you have found a group of like-minded individuals, with art in common, with a message to convey in totally unique ways.
Success is not measured in what sells (it is a bonus) but measured in the way you have conveyed your message to yourself and others, if it has reached out and 'meant' something to someone... to me the persuit, the goal that you and the others are trying to achieve has already meant something...
The bigger 'art world' point is that you have created and achieved recognition , it will be written and remembered that you have made this contribution... Is success measured by how many remember/recognise it??

Will we/I make a strong enough impact to get a critic to "evaluate" the show to get a foot hold in on making an "Art Worldly" statement? or is it enough to just be doing Art for Art sake to hell with the $$ cost to me?

I think this one is something only you can answer... would you do it anyway??
If your goal is bigger, and you dont succeed first time... try again and again.... failure is not trying and giving up.
I think you have achieved a level of success already. (this is my opinion anyway!)

Good luck!

Steve Gray · Joined: 17 Aug 2008 Posts: 1569 Location: Geelong

"Success, working towards a worthwhile goal" Wayne Berry...

zenab · Joined: 15 Jul 2009 Posts: 2 Location: Sydney

yah i think you are true speaker for this even it happend with me when i was having my exhibition.

i was in same dilemma Laughing

but didnt get any answer
thanks

Zen

vans · Joined: 16 Feb 2009 Posts: 65

Hello again.Back from the land of tax,bas's, family dilemnas and other general shyte, and stumbled upon this one. Great post. And I realy do wonder-still-again. I have an exhibition running at the moment. Great responses, nice ego stoke, even a few offers to buy. But I have told them nothing is for sale. Duhh-why/ I realy don't know.Probably because I have just spent 2 weeks visiting every private art gallery in southers Qld, and was pretty disappointed.Not with the standard of the art, but with the galleries. It put me in a " the art world is a piece a crap' kind of mentality.The galleries are empty,a lot of them are closing the doors, or moving to smaller premises. Art works are hangin in rows advertised at sale prices. at first glance you think a work at $2000 to $5000 is expensive, until you do the sums and realize that the artist would get a pittance. They get a nice write up, some of the catalogue presentations are fantastic, but if you ask me any of the names, I cannot tell you. And i am an artist so go figure what the rest of the standard punter would think.
Opening nights are just an excuse for a social gathering really. Maybe it is different in M elbourne, Sydney or Adelaide. I don't know.
I ask myself over and over again-Why do artists bother.

You can go to any interior furnishing store and buy art by the bucketloads, and a lot of it is just great. I buy it myself. It is cheap, I can buy it on impulse, and the colours are great.Just because i paint and draw doesn't neccessarily mean I can slap a colourful piece together overnight to cover the 2mx2m empty space on my wall. There is just so much art around
us.
On a local level, the old 'dead before you attract any worthwhile attention" is so evident. We had a brilliant painter in the local community. 6 kids, living in a box all his life, painting. He had lots of exhibitions and was fully involved in the arts community. He sold his work, but he wasn't a celebrity. when he died they auctioned of his pieces and got nothing
for them. Now, about 10 years later, the interest is starting to build.Horrible.
The same with a well known potter. He lived from his works but it was definitely no rags to riches story.
It is only now he has died that the interest is starting to mount. Do we realy all need to die first?

So do artists just produce their art whilst they are alive to make them feel good about themselves, really, and bugger the fact that they won't become millionaires from it?
Your exhibition at regionalis is a great example. Great media release Steve, fantastic for the cv, Nice to show the friends and to feel important. But will it allow you to quit your dayjob?

Then just yesterday, I went to an opening of a community art show put on by a community program for disadvantaged kids.We sat on the dirty timber floor, picked at a cheese platter, and drank softdrink out of plastic cups.The art wasn't great,in my opinion, severe budgets,not yet ready for a market, but I felt a certain exhiliration that i cant get from anything
else.The kids were proud. These were kids, well 20=25 year olds,suffering from depression,abuse, aspergus, gender issues etc.they made short films and comic book strips and you could just feel the hope. Hope of a normal life. these kids have reclaimed their lives through art.They had a title to be proud of-emerging artists.They had places at the local Tafe doing
diplomas in art, prospects of jobs, such as the 20 year old graffiti artist, badboy, getting a chance as sign writer. They had no grand illusions of becoming rich and famous. They just used art as an expression. They don't need any damn art galleries.No pressure of sales.I wanted to give them all my money and take them home and just bask in their glory.

So yeah, I am back down from the high and the self righteous decision not to sell anything.I feel good about the response i received for my works.

But now I am home trying to figure out a way to sell art!!
Not just my art, but all that art and its promise, which is out there. Go figure. I don't think I will ever reach a Nirvana this way.Maybe we just do it because fundamentaly we are all a trifle unbalanced, and need to have our egos stroked so now and again. I think I would be happy with a just a nice write up like yours Steve! Nice ego stroke. Maybe I will have to write one myself......

cheers

thecatsgrin · Joined: 18 Apr 2009 Posts: 2181 Location: Gippsland

vansprang
I loved what you just wrote!
Some of it was gloomy, but i have been left feeling pretty good about it all!!
Thanks! I can relate to so much of it!!
Wendy.

Cat · Joined: 16 Mar 2006 Posts: 71

I'm considering finally having an exhibition myself but want to make sure I at least break even with the money I invest in it.

I think it has to be an "event" or borderline party rather than just another exhibition. The exhibition culture seems really uptight, bland, repressed and snobby.

Sorry!!

..but it does. Artists are the opposite thus why everyone is smiling through their teeth pretending to enjoy themselves and saying "ah yes" and talking about juxtapostioning and existentualism and tilting their heads intellectually while not having a friggen clue as to what the piece is about.

I might just hire jugglers to get people to forget how they are meant to behave at these things.

edit. controvertial themes would work too. helps break the ice. Smile

art8dave · Joined: 01 May 2006 Posts: 1333 Location: Sydney