"The art world is much, much larger today; indeed, I’d say that there are multiple art worlds. It's more complicated for artists to make it today because it's harder for them to identify where they fit in, to find an authentic voice, and to find a community of support. But, there are also a lot more opportunities out there. I think it’s important for young artists find a network and be part of it, really participate, attend, and engage in what’s around you." I saw this quote today from Elizabeth Ferrer, the vice president of contemporary art at BRIC Arts Media in Brooklyn. The funny thing about the quote is that she points it towards "younger" artists. Those of us that have been in the art world for a while are right there with that mind set! I feel frustrated about not fitting in and not understanding what is important anymore. Im not entirely sure those that do fit in feel like they fit in! It seems like every 6 or 8 years there is a new, weirder than the last time, art movement that just peters away and changes the art world once again and everyone that was beginning to understand where we were going, gets lost again! At a recent art fair, I was struck by how much "art" was really arts and craft and thought to myself that Martha Stewart could have another big career if she ever gets tired of glueing beads on bottles. Why is it that as artists age, movers and shakers start looking for younger and younger artists? Is it kinda like having a mistress? The art world is all about experience and what is on your resume or at least that was what I have always be told. I always thought that the resume dictated prices and the long term value of any artists work, Im beginning to think this is wrong and that I should just start partying with Leonardo DiCaprio. How many times do you go to openings and see artists with relatively nothing on their resume's? No shows, no awards, nothing outside the US and yet the biggest names in the artworld are buying their works as fast as they can and then, ZOOM!, they are represented at Gagosian or Paula Cooper! Over the weekend, I attended the opening for Alex Israel and Bret Easton Ellis at Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills.
I was greeted by a huge, door popping crowd which reminded me more of a rave than a gallery opening. Inside Isreal, an LA native from a local wealthy family, had created many large, billboard size works. They even smelled like billboards. Ellis, a well-known Generation X author, collaborated with Isreal by supplying him with short texts that Isreal then plopped onto stock images that he pulled from the internet and had printed at Warner Brothers in various fonts. The look is very "billboard on Sunset". I was struck by the large, at capacity crowd that could not get enough of standing in from of the works, especially the one titled, "I will Become My Own Kind Of Star". There were young want to be's as well as Hollywood;s A list, artists, unknowns, and established collectors. It was really a shit-show but so very entertaining! I am interested to hear what everyone thought of the show. Did it do what it claimed and capture "celebrity cultures as well as the slick appearance and aspirations of the entertainment capital"? Did it really capture LA or was it really just showing that "reality television personality" that we see every night on the Kardashians?? Was the work a hard look at the creative culture or merely backdrops painted to engage our eyes? Larry Gagosian does create art stars, I am curious to see where this goes! Todd Williamson "TODD WILLIAMSON and GREG WALTER: ARTE DE CAMERA" |
AuthorTodd Williamson artist. Categories |