Re: Is the Act of Creation inherently "Artistic"?

Steve, you’ve hit on an important bit – the idea of “whose perception turns something into art?”

Perhaps money is a key element here. If I sell my work to make a living, then I am more dependent on other people defining it as “art” and therefore worthy of purchase. If I create for my own pleasure, then I can assign the result any definition I like.

I met a professional ceramicist recently. She was quite frustrated over the whole “art vs. craft” debate, because she felt that “art” is worth more money and adulation in the “market.” (“Market” being a term for “buying public.”)

In fact, she had assigned a lot of power to this “market” to decide what could be considered art and what was “mere craft.” And she felt rather helpless, because she didn’t feel she could influence the “market” to see her work as “art.”

I see where she was coming from – she needed to sell work to make a living. But I felt sad for her, because that perception seemed to take away her joy in her work.

Art's Frame of Reference

To bring in the parameter of the 'market' is an entirely different issue.
Many artists' works were value-less until after their death.
Contemporary artists have the augmentation of the international press, which was not around for Michelangelo or even van Gogh.I was quite intrigued by the way the Guggenheim had patroned artists to create works, and if they did not sell, then the Guggenheim owned all of the works.  Well, since the Guggenheim also ‘assisted’ the art critics to determine tastes, it would seem that most artists in their premiere would sell little to nothing, and the Guggenheim would acquire significant collections of ‘early work’.  Then, just a show or two later, they were considered amazing talents, and the earlier works [‘purchased’ for pennies] were now worth millions… I think that it is more important to focus upon the concept of self-appreciation.Are you creating works to sell, or to express a part of your soul?If you want to sell, then mass produce things for hotels by the thousands. An artist friend of mine has, what I think of as three distinct art forms:1) gallery art;2) public art; and3) community art.His gallery art sells for thousands, and is in the collections of a number of museums.  But, he only sells about 1-4 painting per year.  So, he has #2: Public Art.  This is where he boils down big art concepts to something that he can readily sell to the public art agencies.  Every year, he gets dozens of public art commissions; They are kitschy, gaudy and if he was not a friend of mine… well, I wouldn’t think much of them.  But, as I do know him, I understand his process.  He is trying to create art that Joe Schmo can relate to.  [Remember Joe Schmo was taught that by gluing some macaroni on a plate that he was creating art.  Especially if he then tossed some green glitter all over it.]  Lastly, is his community art works.  There are soley for himself, well, actually they are for the community in which we live; but he has no ‘client’ so he does whatever he wants.  They are resonant works, full of character, challenging politics and establishment,… I LOVE THEM!  But, without the first two, he could not afford to spend a thousand bucks on little plaster buddhas that he randomly inserts into nooks and crannies around town, or creating public gardens spaces in the midst of parking lots during the middle of the night… 

We all question ourselves.  Heck, I refused to consider myself an artist until a year ago when my friends pretty much hammered it into me that I was due to the amount of $%^&* that I was creating around town physically and theoretically.  Did Michelangelo have periods of doubt as he laid on his back for fifteen years painting the Sistine Chapel on scaffolding?  Most certainly!  He had days of doubt, anger, indigestion, sorrow, you name it.  [Don't worry, I have no delusions, I know that I am no Michaelangelo…]

I just hope that along with creating work personally, that we will take a moment to talk to the Joe Schmo’s around us and educate them a bit more, so that Joe himself could be more thoughtful in his daily acts of creation.  Joe might become the next Marcel Duchamp or Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Ciao,
Fredrick