Art Centers

Art Centers, New Hope For Unknown Artists

Since Thanksgiving is tomorrow, I decided to put politics on the back burner for the rest of the week. Below is a link for a story that focuses on a subject that gets far less attention than it deserves. Art centers seem to be the last beacon of hope for poor artists hoping to get noticed, sort of community centers for painters if you will. This is important, of course, since very few venues exist for anything that can truly be called the art of the people. Very often we see studios for up-and-coming artists, which is all fine and good but, unless you know someone in the business, you have very little chance of getting anywhere.

One can only imagine the change of fortune for someone like Vincent Van Gogh if he had access to an artists center. For many this is where the more popular and unknown artists can rub elbows, but as is the case with any other business, it's a cutthroat game that only those with connections survive. The world is a graveyard for failed artists. But art  centers can be important in that they level the playing field. The fact that next to anybody can show their work at these places really opens up the possibilities for unknowns. 

While it is true that anyone who shows their works should have some  training and education in art, along with some talent, we should keep in mind that even the most educated painters can also be the worst artists. Some shining examples, are minimalist painters, or as I like to call them, lazy artists. Here, there is no form which is essential for anyone. A dot in the middle of canvas represents an old joke in the art community, that is to say, the nothingness, which is represented by the dot.  To the minimalists life is the art.  As Jackson Pollack more or less stated, artists in this medium have the wrong aim. In his view (and mine) the artist should create from that which is outside his or herself. That art should be created for the purpose of the art itself if any of this makes any sense.

So with the Holidays coming up, instead of giving your loved ones more crap that they don't need, try taking them to an art show at your nearest Art Center.

Until next time.

http://www.groundhog.tv/apps/editor/staticplayer.jsp?clip=1164225266943.wmv