I was talking to an artist recently who was the oldest of four jurors by what was probably at least twenty years. Because of the younger age of the jurors (who did have experience in the art world), the show they chose was more cutting edge and not at all traditional. A lot of artists who had previously done the show didn't get back in. Nor did anyone else that has spent years creating work that was saleable.
I'm not saying that this is a bad thing. But it is another factor that is potentially forcing older artists out of the shows and could be good for younger artists doing things differently.
Comments?
Larry Berman
Art Show Jury Services
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
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Replies
Those crazy kids and their crazy cutting edge art. Not to mention that crazy music they listen to. What the heck
can know about real art. All they know is their facey books and their tweety pages. I'm with you gramps.
Now back to my wall macrame.
There has been somewhat of a tectonic shift in the age market of show goers. Up until about 4-5 years ago, the majority of the buyers for my contemporary and even more naturalistic photography were in the 25-40 age bracket. Then, when the economy started it's slow slide downward, the younger age bracket pretty much disappeared. I'm talking about shows I've done from CA to FL, from MI to TX - all over the US (sorry Delaware, ya ain't got the show chops!). So now, just the boomers show up and they're buying for the grandkiddies, though some are starting to buy art again.
Also, the younger folks today - say, less than 30, are spending most of their disposable income on digital media, not at art shows. This, combined with the increasing elimination of art and music from schools at all grade levels, but with laptops and workstations in almost every school K-12, reinforces how the young people view art - it comes on a screen, it can be changed immediately and after the initial purchase price, costs next to nothing. And the desktop artwork, which is seldom of their own creation, can be printed out in a high quality and hung on the wall.
My wife has taught middle school and high school for over 30 years and she sees daily the infatuation of young people with digital media. It used to be who had the coolest sneakers, now it's the latest iPhone, Thinkpad, Kindle, what have you. There just isn't any cognition of the art that we as arts festival artists sell.
Galleries - they're getting slammed! Go to a Fri. night art crawl: it's mostly young people having a good time, sucking up the free wine, beer and munchies. Even in the galleries that feature 20-something art, hanging out is the thing to do. But buying any of the art - slim to none.
Holly, try looking at the point Munks is making and not the specifics. I find his post hilarious!!
If I get into a show, then the judges are all knowledgeable and astute. If I get rejected then they are incompetent boobs.
Wait a minute. I have to get off this web site. I need to be packing for my Florida trip. Cya all in a few days.
You MAY NOT disagree with my opinions Cupcake - I am always right and I always tell the truth - even when I lie!
6 blind lesbians riding brooms - lol - there's some new subject matter for 2011's paintings! Are they Catholic or Jewish? Are the brooms made in China or India or are they "handcrafted"?
I feel red laser dots all over me from the NAIA every day - at first I thought I just had a case of the measles. "You get used to it after a while" - as my dear sweet old Nanna says.
(Congrats on your recent acceptance! Well done!)
Why stop there?
Besides age, we should consider the educational level of the jurors because everyone knows the more educated the jurors, the less conservative are their tastes - or is it the other way around? Also what kind of business are they in? Everyone knows a gallery owner or a fine artist doesn't know as much as an interior designer or an art professor. How about religion? We should know the religion of each juror. I don't want to apply to any shows that are too heavy on that one religion - you know - they like really shiny things. Ethnic background? That would help a lot because I would want to apply to shows that have only Italians as judges because they know the most about art. Let's leave out the chicks - only male judges so there isn't so much emotion in the process. I personally would prefer lots of gay guys on the juries because they like the same palette I use and they have a disposable income because they don't have kids, but not gay women because I'm a guy and they won't jury me in.
OK, so now we know we have to consider the age, religion, work history, education level, ethnicity, and gender. Did we forget anything else? Oh, I know handicapped (or "differently abled") status. Blind judges are much fairer than those sighted ones. We should probably look at income levels - but would that be before the bribes or after? Nonetheless, people with more money obviously have more taste and knowledge of art.
There is so much to straighten out here. I could sure use help prioritizing all the elements of a good or a bad juror.
Before you disagree with me, please remember that you absolutely may not disagree with me or I will consider it to be a personal insult and your contrary opinion does not matter anyway because I am right at all times - or something to that effect. and you may not have your own ideas or I will stamp my feet and complain about you.
Well, anyway, Happy Valentines Day to almost all of you. Except for a few. Well, just two. No, three. Well maybe 4. . . . . . .
Judging only by the shows I direct and those in which I exhibit, it seems the majority of sales are to those 35+. They are the patrons with disposable income.
There is a big shift, though, in the local gallery walks, seasonal handmade markets, artisan markets, etc. Those events tend to have lower price points and the vendors/artists are younger. The buying crowd tends to be young, have limited budgets, but they value handmade items. The indie shows in town are almost exclusively young and emergent artists who buy one another's work. They seem to be partial to skulls, tattoo/graffiti-style art and anything with John Lennon—lots of cliches to us, perhaps new and daring to them.