The Auction House
1. Is it more valuable to one's career as an artist to have a dealer or to sell for themselves at an auction?
2. Ségalot claims that art buying is a conquest, "an extremely satisfying, macho act" (p11). Bidding styles were compared to sexual performance (p32). Keith Tyson referred to the mental process of bidding as an "alpha-male mentality" (p37). Does that imply that the act of making the art is not seen as macho?
This question especially interested me, given that throughout history art has been seen as a macho thing, a male-dominated field in which women are only recently accepted and involved (and some people think that women artists are still not on equal footing with male artists).
3. Sarah Thornton says that "many of the artists who sell well at auction are artist/entrepreneurs" (p38). When I think of an entrepreneur, I think of someone who is trying to sell what or who he is to others. Yet, according to Keith Tyson, "art is trying to sell you yourself" (p37). Is it more one or the other, or is an artist trying to sell you herself while showing her art is meant to have personal meaning to you? Is the personal meaning just a happy byproduct?
The Crit
1. Mary Kelley stops interpretation in her crit class when she thinks "we might be going too far." If one is pulling meanings and references that the artist didn't intend, how do you know where too far is?
2. Is there a way to truly define an artist these days that would not be circular?
The Fair
1. It was important both to buyers and sellers at the art fair that none but those involved know who bought what until officially published, at which time the amount would sometimes be inflated. It was taboo to ask, unlike at the auction where the prices of works are very public. Why is the mentality at the fair so different from that at the auction?
The Prize
The Magazine
1. Every position around the art world is definable. Critic, collector, curator, dealer, editor, writer, etc. Why is artist so hard to define that it is defined circularly? (i.e. an artist is someone who makes art)
2. "Nowadays most of Paula Cooper's ads contain no image" p177. In a world that often relies heavily on images, is it more or less effective to advertise with images?
The Studio Visit
1. Sarah Thornton makes a point of mentioning the corporatization of Japan within Murakami's roots. Is it common for artists to base themselves through a corporation, or is it purely because of Murakami's roots that he is?
The Biennale
1. I found it interesting that within this chapter there were some that lamented the nationalism of the various countries' booths, and some that lamented the global homogenization of art. Is a having sense of national identity important to being an artist?
2. Does having a government support an artist's work (as opposed to personal funding or other financial backing) contribute to the country's exhibit/building having a more pronounced national identity?
1. Is it more valuable to one's career as an artist to have a dealer or to sell for themselves at an auction?
2. Ségalot claims that art buying is a conquest, "an extremely satisfying, macho act" (p11). Bidding styles were compared to sexual performance (p32). Keith Tyson referred to the mental process of bidding as an "alpha-male mentality" (p37). Does that imply that the act of making the art is not seen as macho?
This question especially interested me, given that throughout history art has been seen as a macho thing, a male-dominated field in which women are only recently accepted and involved (and some people think that women artists are still not on equal footing with male artists).
3. Sarah Thornton says that "many of the artists who sell well at auction are artist/entrepreneurs" (p38). When I think of an entrepreneur, I think of someone who is trying to sell what or who he is to others. Yet, according to Keith Tyson, "art is trying to sell you yourself" (p37). Is it more one or the other, or is an artist trying to sell you herself while showing her art is meant to have personal meaning to you? Is the personal meaning just a happy byproduct?
The Crit
1. Mary Kelley stops interpretation in her crit class when she thinks "we might be going too far." If one is pulling meanings and references that the artist didn't intend, how do you know where too far is?
2. Is there a way to truly define an artist these days that would not be circular?
The Fair
1. It was important both to buyers and sellers at the art fair that none but those involved know who bought what until officially published, at which time the amount would sometimes be inflated. It was taboo to ask, unlike at the auction where the prices of works are very public. Why is the mentality at the fair so different from that at the auction?
The Prize
The Magazine
1. Every position around the art world is definable. Critic, collector, curator, dealer, editor, writer, etc. Why is artist so hard to define that it is defined circularly? (i.e. an artist is someone who makes art)
2. "Nowadays most of Paula Cooper's ads contain no image" p177. In a world that often relies heavily on images, is it more or less effective to advertise with images?
The Studio Visit
1. Sarah Thornton makes a point of mentioning the corporatization of Japan within Murakami's roots. Is it common for artists to base themselves through a corporation, or is it purely because of Murakami's roots that he is?
The Biennale
1. I found it interesting that within this chapter there were some that lamented the nationalism of the various countries' booths, and some that lamented the global homogenization of art. Is a having sense of national identity important to being an artist?
2. Does having a government support an artist's work (as opposed to personal funding or other financial backing) contribute to the country's exhibit/building having a more pronounced national identity?
