What’s Your Type?
Both the shows at T.A.C. Gallery and “How Brown Am I?” at Raices Taller were amazing this weekend. Great mix of outsider, established and emerging artists. Please check them out if you can! T.A.C. is probably by appointment for the next few days by calling 409-4751 (I haven’t gotten my artwork back yet so I assume it’s still up); ”How Brown Am I?” gallery hours are Friday and Saturday 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. or by appointment thru July 24.
But in saying this, I also immediately reconsider my definition of these three categories. To me, “established” means someone whose style is consistent, technically well-executed, critically/institutionally well-regarded, has collectors/patrons, and possibly publicly reknown. Initially I thought this category could almost be interchanged with “professional” but Mr. Saxton (no one to sneeze at) of Borealis Arts brought up on Facebook the “matches my sofa” category of artists. There are “professionals” who certainly fit the first two criteria of an “established” artist, and possibly one or two of the other descriptions.
Now I wonder if “emerging” means people who are headed on possibly one of these two paths. I don’t think it means age anymore, emerging artists aren’t just 20-somethings, or even 30-somethings. This could be the artist who will eventually (and this could mean anywhere from 1-30+ years) find their way into commercial galleries and/or museums; OR mass-produced Bed, Bath & Beyond/Urban Outfitters/Target/[Insert Big Box Store Here] prints through agents and corporations. …Yet the invisible hand of commercialization (compromise or sheer luck), to some degree, seems to be inherent to both paths, no?
Then we have those tricky little “outsider” artists. How to describe them? Someone lacking artistic training in a higher canonical venue of learning? Artists with no financial or critical success? No, they might actually have a better chance of becoming darlings of institutional acclaim than “emerging” artists. Or vice versa: a public (and possibly commercial) smash but an institutional/academic reject.
Here’s a new description I am getting comfortable with to work out the kinks in my brain, for myself anyways: “Vernacular artists.” Like the dudes who transcribed the Latin Bible into local languages around the time of the centuries-long insanity of the European Reformation. People who translate the “higher language” of art to the regular people can span all of these three categories, I think.
On the other hand I feel the opposite, artists also translate the realities of everyday life into a “higher language” to gain for themselves (and possibly others) a more comprehensive understanding of these experiences.
In lieu of explaining, questioning, researching and debunking myself further, I ask you readers: Are artists special? Why or why not? What are your definitions of these categories? How do you fit in? Do you purposefully or inadvertently categorize other artists? Do you want to fit in? Gallerists, how do you define the artists you show? Is any of this important to collectors/general viewers?
I’ve tried to whittle down my own endless questions, feel free to chime in, respond or pose your own questions to other readers in the comments.
3 comments
Great thoughts here. Being one to ponder things for awhile I don’t have much to offer just yet. Oh and, life is pretty damn full at the moment too, but I will be following this. Categories/definitions are something I actually did a ‘trilogy’ of pieces about awhile ago and while I intended that the three pieces be sold as a single unit, I willingly made the compromise just last week and sold two of them. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do.
wow! sounds like a bunch of stereo typing. you forgot artist that create art that makes people who see it feel something. there is alot to live up to….in order to survive you gotta be well rounded. it’s not about the Gallery either….it’s about being seen. Why do you think there is Graff! it’s a VISUAL SLAP to the establishment. for those up and coming it’s all about foundation keep building yourself up! 29C 490WC ALRATO, Tu-scene
I beleive that the important part is remembering to seperate the experiences of making art, viewing art, and capitalizing on art. As an art student, artist, and employee at a company which designs and fabricates public art, my goals are studying, experimenting and finding design solutions one project at a time. My own experience of making art is not the same experience others will have when viewing it, or purchasing it. Those elements are out of my hands at the point of publicizing my work. The experiences of viewing and purchasing art is ONLY a matter of opinion, which is why each of us will always make our own list favorite artists, regardless of what others think or what sells….. I spend more time looking at my own work, rather than trying to understand what others are doing. My pespective on art changes when I look outward at what is happening around me. There are so many ways to arrange the enormous, worldwide pool of artists. I think it’d be too difficult to classify everyone. “Emerging” can mean that you’re going somewhere or intending to, although many working artists remain stagnant and don’t emerge from anything. The term may also be misplaced on an artist that doesn’t plan to go anywhere and simply makes stuff. “Established” artist doesn’t always mean “good” or “financially sucessful” artist. Some artists may make art as a “visual slap” but never achieve the reaction they intended. I think each artist has a unique, personal journey of making art and making a living off of it…Overall, the way we experience and view art is all relative. Perhaps that makes all opinions valid, whether it is spoken by a sophisticated scholar or a 5 year old.
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