Even priests need to eat. And don't insult me with you idiotic characterizations such as "pastime". You aren't even the same solar system as me or any other serious career artist. wc
----- Original Message ---- From: joseph berg <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Fri, January 7, 2011 7:34:40 PM Subject: Re: Isn't Bravo's "Work of Art..." turning artists into politicians? On Mon, Jan 3, 2011 at 6:33 PM, William Conger <[email protected]>wrote: > I don't understand why Berg thinks artists don't need to deal with real > world > conditions. A successful artist in today's artworld has many expenses > similar > to those incurred in operating a commercial business. That usually means > assistants and, frequently, a studio manager to keep records and maintain > the > day to day practical issues. Also, the cost of artmaking materials can be > very > daunting, far above what many people realize. The fickle reality of the > artworld adds to the risk. Few artists can maintain their success beyond a > decade simply because the art market thrives on novelty and blue/blue chip, > meaning a revolving door of the hot emerging artists and the handful of > "old > master" artists. Being an artist in a society that does almost nothing to > support the arts and cares nothing for endeavors done for their own sake > can be > very hard going in terms of making a living. If Berg is so worried about > the > corrosive effects of being an artist in our materialist, market society, he > should endow an arts foundation, do something materially positive for art > and > artists and stop demeaning "ambitious" artists. > wc > > - Art is not a pastime but a priesthood. Jean Cocteau
