Business VS Art for Art's sake

[Peter Lewin]

No one here mentioned that gallery owners are running a business, and need to sell art. The NJ ASMP recently had a speaker on the subject of finding a balance between producing art that sells versus pursuing your own vision. 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." To me this is a continuous journey away from black and white silver (or alternative process) prints towards large-scale digitally produced imagery. But this is suburban NJ; perhaps those in NYC, for example, have different gallery experiences.

[djdister]

I am currently in college getting a BFA. ... My ideal of fine art is reaching a status where museums pursue your work, yes I understand that there is a road to be traversed that inextricably involves art dealers and collectors before museums will seek you.

It would be interesting to know what the professors in your BFA program have to say about your question. Ask them, and let us know.

[Tin Can]

I'm guessing as I have feared that this has become far more about business than otherwise. Thanks.

Mr Duchamp Not, you made a poor headline for your quest of discussion. Perhaps the headline should have been, 'Art for Art's Sake or Business'. Every nuance is important in Art.

The world is full of Artists, we are starting to consider all have some ability, if awakened.

Photography is perhaps the toughest of Arts as it is nearly universal in practice.

Practice is what we do, we try our best, we mostly fail and occasionally we triumph, but the the triumph is internal first.

Recognition is seldom, very, very seldom.

[Kodachrome25]

I still think the question is a bit like asking "How do I get a supermodel to fall in love with me?"

[mdarnton]

If you want to get somewhere, you should be working on your self-promotion techniques at least as much, if not more, that your photography.

[djdister]

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?


Balloon Dog, Jeff Koons

[Tin Can]

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?

LOL, I was going to bring up Koons!

[Jac@stafford.net]

I'm guessing as I have feared that this has become far more about business than otherwise. Thanks.

It strikes me as odd that one who espouses Art for Art's Sake would take the handle of (Marcel) Duchamp, then address his goal of being shown in a gallery. Duchamp had contempt for the typical gallery because it was promoting Business as Usual.

[DrTang]

I still think the question is a bit like asking "How do I get a supermodel to fall in love with me?"

the answer is the same for both:


be rich and fabulous

[RodinalDuchamp]

No one here mentioned that gallery owners are running a business, and need to sell art. The NJ ASMP recently had a speaker on the subject of finding a balance between producing art that sells versus pursuing your own vision. 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." To me this is a continuous journey away from black and white silver (or alternative process) prints towards large-scale digitally produced imagery. But this is suburban NJ; perhaps those in NYC, for example, have different gallery experiences.

Peter,

Yes. You have put into words one of the notions I feel as well. That as a black and white traditional printing photographer it seems like either A. A sad end to traditional process in lieu of mass produced digitally printed or "light printed" decoration or B. A great opportunity for the traditionalist to work harder and stick to their guns hoping that the art community will somehow re-recognize some key distinction between digital and traditional photography favoring the traditional.