Business VS Art for Art's sake

[RodinalDuchamp]

the answer is the same for both:


be rich and fabulous

I think you are absolutely right, as in any endeavor having lots of money certainly lubricates the process of getting to the top.

[RodinalDuchamp]

I think the underlying assumption built into the original post is the fatal flaw. What does it mean to have your work in a museum? Does that mean you are a great artist? As just one non-photographer example, is Jeff Koons a great artist simply because his work is in a museum?

Attachment 126222
Balloon Dog, Jeff Koons

I hate Koons. I also live in Miami and hate Art Basel because it is the most horrendous unholy intersection of art and commerce.

[RodinalDuchamp]

The masters or experienced folks telling you hard earned secrets.....on the public domain of the web? Also, you are practically asking for advice on the web on how best to live your life.....you do realize that, right? Because it does not matter what anyone tells you, amateur, pro, selling at an art fair or on the walls of ICP or Moma, their lives will not be your life. The only way to learn where your life will go is to live it, so make the journey the main attraction through mind blowing images.

Someone will be that next artist, you can count on that, but the last thing they are thinking right now is how to get the attention of a curator. As you mature, your goals and your work will reflect that. If you end up being great at what you pursue, then things will fall into place.....but you are going to have to produce work that is far, far more ground breaking than you are thinking, I suspect...

And this is the Internet age....most people think they are much better than they really are due to lack of real critique and circles of mutual praise.

I did not expect to have any secrets divulged but merely asking for those who are willing to, to share some of their personal experiences, what they have seen over the years, their opinions about creating product over conceptual work.

[RodinalDuchamp]

Already I have received some very insightful responses and I appreciate all of your opinions.

[Kodachrome25]

I did not expect to have any secrets divulged but merely asking for those who are willing to, to share some of their personal experiences, what they have seen over the years, their opinions about creating product over conceptual work.

But that is the gist of it, the personal experiences I have that have been granular to my success are to be kept quiet, especially on a forum full of photographers. Even within the ranks of other photographers, meaning ones who earn a real income, the way my creative engine plays in the sandbox with my career goals is pretty unique, I simply can't afford to share that.

I can't teach you how to live your life and there sure as hell is not room for both of us living mine.

[Tin Can]

But that is the gist of it, the personal experiences I have that have been granular to my success are to be kept quiet, especially on a forum full of photographers. Even within the ranks of other photographers, meaning ones who earn a real income, the way my creative engine plays in the sandbox with my career goals is pretty unique, I simply can't afford to share that.

I can't teach you how to live your life and there sure as hell is not room for both of us living mine.

And that is why photographers are nearly always secretive.

Any skilled worker feels the same.

[RodinalDuchamp]

But that is the gist of it, the personal experiences I have that have been granular to my success are to be kept quiet, especially on a forum full of photographers. Even within the ranks of other photographers, meaning ones who earn a real income, the way my creative engine plays in the sandbox with my career goals is pretty unique, I simply can't afford to share that.

I can't teach you how to live your life and there sure as hell is not room for both of us living mine.

Right. I agree hence my disclaimer "those who are willing".

I appreciate you taking the time to respond, this is meant to be a friendly open conversation if someone can benefit from some cryptic message to be had then all is well.

[Kodachrome25]

this is meant to be a friendly open conversation if someone can benefit from some cryptic message to be had then all is well.

Again, you are simply not going to get that in any real quantity, I am always surprised when people ask of it...

The business of viewing photographs or them being sold or licensed....it's a people business. To the best of my knowledge, I have never had a rock or bush view my work or sold a print, license an image to a stream or mountain.

And unless ones hides all their work, no one just shoots for themselves without the intent of engaging an audience, small or large. So even the most personal of work is created with the intent of having some form of outside approval or validation for it. Some get the validation and no check, some get the check as well....

[cyrus]

The most recent gallery to open in my area has a business model based on the photographer providing a digital file, and the gallery producing prints in whatever size the buyer wants to "fill their wall." .

Why not just do that online? Seems like a strange model. Who needs physical galleries especially for purely digital works

[Tin Can]

The business of viewing photographs or them being sold or licensed....it's a people business. To the best of my knowledge, I have never had a rock or bush view my work or sold a print, license an image to a stream or mountain.

And unless ones hides all their work, no one just shoots for themselves without the intent of engaging an audience, small or large. So even the most personal of work is created with the intent of having some form of outside approval or validation for it. Some get the validation and no check, some get the check as well....

Some shoot just to shoot. Vivian Maier, Garry Winogrand shot 10's of 1000's of negatives they never developed.

Too busy living, I guess. Both now famous and dead.

http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions...arry-winogrand