According to the New York Times, "a major new survey of American artists and how they are weathering the economic downturn has found that slightly more than half experienced a drop in income from 2008 to 2009, a blow to an already struggling group, two thirds of whose members reported that they earned less than $40,000 last year."Even worse according to the survey, 18% of those who responded said their income had dropped 50 percent or more in the last year.
So what's the good news? Well...if we take the Pollyanna view of life, it's not bad news. Artists live in a recession all the time, so this is just business as usual. Heart warming, no?
From the Library of Congress FSA Collection of Depression Era photographs, hitching north for work by Jack Delano.
For several summers now the Laurence Miller Gallery has been doing the 50/40. They offer 50 photographs for 40% off—an opportunity for new collectors, a way for a gallery to beat the summer doldrums and a thank you for the frequent collectors. Good idea, huh?
If you didn't make it to NYFA's Spring Conference on sustainable practice in these hard times, you can catch some of it here. I'm glad NYFA is posting these Vimeos, we all have to make it through somehow.
NYFA is a great resource, and even if you don't live in New York City, check out their site. They've got a searchable database of opportunities, good professional articles on lots of topics and they now host a regular podcast for artists. And at the bottom of the post you'll see find "arty" snaps I took the day of the conference.
Assessing the Recession: a panel discussion with Sean Elwood, Creative Capital; Stephanie Howe, Artists Space; Kay Takeda, LMCC, and Edward Winkleman, Winkleman Gallery with Moderator: Christa Blatchford, NYFA
Sustainable Practice: Artists Defining a New Model: Panelists: Jeff Hnilicka, FEAST; Caroll Taveras; Carol Taveras Studio; Francisca Caporali, Artist and curator; Joshua Smith and Denise Kupferschmidt, co-founders of Apartment Show with moderator Suzan Sherman, NYFA
Writing about Cindy Sherman seems redundant but a terrific film I saw this weekend has prompted this post. A look into two artist's processes, an incisive and funny slant on the art world, and a fairy tale of love, Guest of Cindy Sherman is a terrific ride. Artist and TV personality Paul Hasegawa-Overacker (known as Paul H-O) has warmth and charm, and I felt for him remembering that my own ex once introduced himself as Mr. Susan Shaw. After the film, he took questions from the audience—I've posted a few clips (including a hard luck for artists clip) here as well as a clip on Cindy Sherman from Ovation TV. There's also nice article about the film on ArtInfo by Jillian Steinhauer, and to flesh the column out, some of the amazing chameleon images from Cindy's work at Metro Pictures.
I've seen art on cardboard, cereal boxes and lots of other found materials. Yesterday I saw these. What a good idea! Large size, good quality paper, the background already roughed in and a subtext layer of interesting content. It bears some thinking about.
O.K. Here's what I might do. Entitled "Mapping the Language of Love." see image below. Looks like a Susan Shaw, feels like a Susan Shaw. References her photographic portraits and therefore appropriate in the context of her continuum of work. She actually worked on both layers of image, one in the '70s (as a map designer) and the other in the '80s. Is definitely personal, yet is about push/pull of the picture plane. Resembles a prior body of work by Shaw, exhibited internationally and hotly collected. Hmm....maybe hard times are looking good...
Elvis Presley Painting with Cheetos Cheese Puffs on Velvet
Eclectic Asylum uses common objects in an "artistic" way. He says he does this "because many types of art are far removed from the average person." He says, "Creating art with things people come in contact with in their daily lives closes that gap."
His idea for this piece came from what else, eating Cheetos. His fingers turned orange and created accidental marks on his clothing. Lightbulb!...fabric as a surface....lightbulb!...velvet paintings. And Elvis, the most famous incarnation of a velvet painting. Velvet Elvis or Velveeta Elvis? Kitschy, cheesy, likeable, lickable art.
Insomnia is a terrible thing isn't it? Last night I remembered a coffee I had at the Cairo airport in October. As continuing inspiration in our thread of hard luck materials, I give you coffee!!!!!!!!
Susan Shaw is an internationally exhibited painter and photographer. Private and public collections include the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Israel Museum. Shaw is the recipient of two New York State Artist’s Fellowships and residency fellowships at the Vermont Studio Center and the Women's Studio Workshop.
Posts
