What better way to kick off the week than by lamenting how badly the economy is screwing the art world? New York Magazine’s Intelligencer pronounced today that the recession would definitely not be good for the arts. For all of us with the silly, romantic notion that poverty breeds creativity (no one is, ahem, pointing fingers at the New York Times), NY Mag writer Alexandra Peers wants you to know that you’re wrong.
Peers makes some points that even the most romantic among us might have to grudgingly concede. Less money will mean fewer dancers, fewer literary advances, fewer art sales, etc. She did not, however, mention the possible benefits of dwindling art scene funds. More experimental theater pieces performed under bridges? Less drunken fights between pseudo guttersnipe artists involving broken Grolsch bottles? More emaciated painters toiling in their garrets by candle-light? Less art advisors?
We’re not surprised she couldn’t see the silver lining — she quotes John Good, director of Gagosian Gallery.
Improbably, USA Today also jumped into the End of Art conversation. Their article scores more downer points than New York Magazine for its straightforwardness. Instead of providing a clever interpretation of the art world’s failure, USA Today relies on a pathos-inspiring list of every regional theater, local opera house, and small symphony orchestra that has gone under in the past six months. Oh, Utah Shakespeare Festival, we hardly knew ye.
Even Frank Gehry is feeling the boom time hangover. In a recent interview on the architect’s 80th birthday, he reported to Christopher Hawthorne that the past year has been full of major disappointment. Not only did his development plan for Los Angeles’ Grand Avenue bottom out, but he had to put his Brooklyn-based Atlantic Yards project on the back burner. We tried to muster sympathy for the starchitect. But, we were too thrilled about the Atlantic Yards’ failure to really feel for him.
Just when we started to give up hope, we came upon this gem about Jeff Koons. Apparently, the artist never received the memo that his industry is wheezing its final breaths and is cheerfully plugging away on a 25-million dollar sculpture of a train dangling from a crane for the Los Angeles County Museum We could go into grim, nagging Marie Antoinette references, but we won’t. Keep living the dream, Jeff Koons, keep living the dream.
Comments (7)
Personally,I think it's more than the recession that is causing the decline of the arts. There is another factor that applies here. The other reason is people that are in their 20's and 30's that think the only good form of entertainment is going those cookie-cutter clubs that play the same boring house and hip-hop hits that you can easily find on the FM dial between 92.* and 107.*. I am not talking about the ones that are recommended on this site, as I am an avid fan of the Warm Up series during the summer. Just my 2 cents.
Ever think that may most modern 'art' and 'architecture' is just a big fraud? Maybe its failing because its empty vapid junk pushed by hustler-dealers. Maybe, just maybe people are beginning to see the emperor has no clothes.
A second tulip mania
by Ben Lewis
The prices of contemporary art works have risen to astonishing levels in recent years. Insiders say it’s because we have been living through a golden age of art. Nonsense, argue Ben Lewis and Jonathan Ford, it is a classic investment bubble
http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/article_detail…
[...] only appreciate, but also make some sense of. There’s a similar cheeky drama in a giant hot pink balloon animal and this neon coat—but I can’t wear the poodle to [...]
Ever since warhol there really hasn’t been anything stunning. we live in a world of pluralism, ( Lady Gaga’s world is hyper-pluralist…) and people are tired of regurgitating the same thing over and over. The institution of “art” has lost its power…
Uninstitutionalised art however… is a different story… soon our generation will rebel..
https://www.adbusters.org/magazine/88/the_coming_barbarism.html
I definatlet disagree that warhol was the last big artist…What about artists such as dan flavin,lisa yuskavage,mona hatoum?(to name but a few).Warhol created pieces that were,for want of a better word “pretty”.they were visualy pleasing,and all about asthetics.art is no longer like that.it no longer needs to be beautifull.art is more honest and raw now than it ever was,and thats an amazing thing to witness/be part of.I believe that a lot of art needs to be understood to be appreciated and liked.a lot of people just dont take the time.
[...] so Jeffie doesn’t sue me, here’s a link to one of his, ahem, dogs. A discussion of my odyssey in painting, collage, mixed media and all things art. This entry was [...]
I agree that art will never end or concede confronted with economic recession, and the eminent artists can survive in any bad situations bucause art is one indispensible part of culture, once culture lives, art will never stop improving. honestly speaking, I do like Jeff Koons’ work,because it projects the good old time of USA and brings a lot of happiness to me and I am sure to others who gradually forget the color of childhood.
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