Just ran across an article in Forbes Magazine that has me thinking, steaming and wanting to reach out to Carter Cleveland at Artsy to say, "Hey dude, you're missing out!"
Artsy does not accept portfolios or have any interest (at least at this point) in the "individual artist." While I admit that Artsy has some pretty nice features and is making headway in it's depiction of artwork, I have to say that they are FAR AWAY from their self-proclamation of being "the Amazon" of the art world. Since they have no current interest in cataloguing or posting the artwork of artists that are not currently represented by selling art galleries they are missing out on an ENORMOUS collection of artworks not only throughout the USA but across the globe.
If all they show is the work that is always shown, if all they know are the artists that are already known, then they are missing out. The vast majority of active artists are not represented by selling art galleries. That does not mean that they are not artists. Many artists are selling in a wider variety of venues and many show their artwork in museum type galleries. To confine the "art world" to the "art gallery artist" certainly does not impress me. Nor does it make Artsy's "artistic genome" project remotely near a success since many of the grass root genes are missing in action.
The site has a fairly limited number of artworks by different artists. And no way to filter by the artists except by using the "search" mode. The top way it offers a search is by categorizing the price of the artwork. Hmmm. Me thinks they are soooo missing out on the real picture. Uh, Mr. Cleveland, let me just say the cost of a piece of art does not mean it is art nor even good art. And the cost of the art doesn't preclude a piece from being art. I have seen thousands of examples of artworks that cost absolutely nothing and the artists do them just because they desire that form of self expression. Many artists give away their artworks to others (check out the Abandoned Art Group on Face Book for example! or the number of artist trading card sites that exist). The commercial value of a piece does not make an artwork an artwork. Each piece of art has its own intrinsic value.
If Artsy.net really wanted to make an art genome or become the Amazon of art, they would open their doors to catalogue and display any and all art offered.
I find it disturbing that this art site and their ilk believe that they have captured the "essence" of the art world while skipping over the true essence of the art world. The gems that they are missing are the (gack--I'm sooo tired of him) Damien Hirst's, the Pablo Picasso's, Frieda Kahlo's, and even the Banksy's of tomorrow. But because so many artists are not "represented by a gallery" they are overlooked. The "underground" (aka, the unrepresented artists) art world is certainly exploding and I have to hope that there are art galleries and collectors who are seeking the emerging or unsung artists to round out their known artist collection.
There is so much work out there that is not represented, but the truth is that it is representative of what is truly shaping the art world. I find it ironic that Banksy and other artists who are currently considered tops in the world began as outsider artists and certainly were pooh-poohed by the "art world." By the "art world" what I mean is the snooty, small minded art snobs who disregard the creative works of hundreds of thousands is not millions of artists world wide...all because their work isn't selling in the $$$ range. Did they forget that isn't what art is about? Perhaps they need to expand their vision and their definition of art and what is a successful artist?
An art genome missing 3/4th of its genome is hardly worth the bother. And an Art Amazon only for the very wealthy doesn't really capture the art for the masses.
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| Beautiful Monster, Mixed Media. (c) SZing 2011 |
Artsy does not accept portfolios or have any interest (at least at this point) in the "individual artist." While I admit that Artsy has some pretty nice features and is making headway in it's depiction of artwork, I have to say that they are FAR AWAY from their self-proclamation of being "the Amazon" of the art world. Since they have no current interest in cataloguing or posting the artwork of artists that are not currently represented by selling art galleries they are missing out on an ENORMOUS collection of artworks not only throughout the USA but across the globe.
If all they show is the work that is always shown, if all they know are the artists that are already known, then they are missing out. The vast majority of active artists are not represented by selling art galleries. That does not mean that they are not artists. Many artists are selling in a wider variety of venues and many show their artwork in museum type galleries. To confine the "art world" to the "art gallery artist" certainly does not impress me. Nor does it make Artsy's "artistic genome" project remotely near a success since many of the grass root genes are missing in action.
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| Standing Against the Crowd, Mixed Media (c) SZing 2011 |
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| I May Be Old, But I'm Still Useful, Found Objects Sculpture (c) SZing, 2011 (Please not the NFS on the sign. This was not for sale!!! I made it for myself and hung it at my own home because I loved it.) |
If Artsy.net really wanted to make an art genome or become the Amazon of art, they would open their doors to catalogue and display any and all art offered.
I find it disturbing that this art site and their ilk believe that they have captured the "essence" of the art world while skipping over the true essence of the art world. The gems that they are missing are the (gack--I'm sooo tired of him) Damien Hirst's, the Pablo Picasso's, Frieda Kahlo's, and even the Banksy's of tomorrow. But because so many artists are not "represented by a gallery" they are overlooked. The "underground" (aka, the unrepresented artists) art world is certainly exploding and I have to hope that there are art galleries and collectors who are seeking the emerging or unsung artists to round out their known artist collection.
There is so much work out there that is not represented, but the truth is that it is representative of what is truly shaping the art world. I find it ironic that Banksy and other artists who are currently considered tops in the world began as outsider artists and certainly were pooh-poohed by the "art world." By the "art world" what I mean is the snooty, small minded art snobs who disregard the creative works of hundreds of thousands is not millions of artists world wide...all because their work isn't selling in the $$$ range. Did they forget that isn't what art is about? Perhaps they need to expand their vision and their definition of art and what is a successful artist?
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| Pieces Parts, Mixed Media Sculpture (c) SZing 2011 |
An art genome missing 3/4th of its genome is hardly worth the bother. And an Art Amazon only for the very wealthy doesn't really capture the art for the masses.
