You said it completely and nicely: it has to be good art that could have impact but it also has to be at the right place, with right context, seen by right people at the right time. Many good art suffers and never gets the recognition it deserves because of what you have mentioned here. Thanks.
My criteria is strictly, "Would I like to have this in my house?" Sometimes in a museum, I see something so wonderful, that I go to the museum shop and look for a postcard of it. I don't have much money, but I have a lot of postcards. If I make something and I can't truly say I want to keep it, I don't imagine anybody else should want it. The world is full of "stuff". Be selective about your visual environment, and make your art accordingly.
Be selective about your visual environment, and make your art accordingly And that's why my house has lots of paintings by me :) oops doesn't that sound like an ego trip lol. For me it's more like 'mommy thought it was good enough to go on the fridge' :)
@argusfleibeit1165 No, sweetie. FINE artists should always make art that they feel in/to/from their spirit/soul and for no other reason/incentive. If you're a hobbyist or commercial artist than you make art that appeals to the general and/or that's commissioned for commercial purposes. This is especially true with artists who create works that speak to social, political, ethnic and/or cultural issues.
@@tiwantiwaabibiman2603 I can go over to the University Art Dept. any time, and admire the hideous and meaningful '''fine art" those geniuses turn out. Then I can go back to my house and look at things around me that make me stop wanting to unalive myself and/or others in this rat-hole of reality. But you do you, honey-bun.
I love peoples unique art. It bores the hell out of me to see perfect art. When i went to art college i hated it..there was this elderly lady in our drawing class maybe 60 she would draw amazing detailed art work portraits and because of her baad eyesight she would scew the perspective in mad ways that made really interesting undulations like it was all perfect but like you were looking through different focus lenses...it was beaautiful. The teacher kept rubbing out her stuff and doing it for her to correct it. I hated it. I hated the corrections ..the imperfections and ynique visions of people are beautiful. Unique.
That is such a great observation. It's why I can't stand most movies and TV programs. All the actors and actresses are too perfect looking. It's so boring, not to mention unbelievable. As for perfectly rendered art, what's the point? It was probably done using a photograph with a grid superimposed. Even AI can do better than that.
I think that bad artists keep obsessing a lot over other things than what they actually want to paint or they are trying to be somebody else. Picasso tried to show people in his art that they do not own everything, that nobody is in control and he could not control his urges. His art was his desperate cry for help. Bad artists are obsessed with things like the next disease and so their paintings become bad because they do not give themselves time to organise them properly. Good artists ask themselves what the customer wants to see - and then proceed to paint this and put themselves into their subjects´shoes. Good artists ask the question what being the subject matter of the painting is like. Let´s say you are an artist who works at Black Rock and you want to paint something which happened in Ukraine. You can keep your personal feeling out of it and still make an excellent painting, or you can keep your feelings about what you are painting as part of it to make it more powerful and add extra drama. Good paintings execute a lot of drama, but bad painters are poor dramatists and their paintings feel bland and flat.
@@Yatukih_001 what a boring comment. Sounds like something a 15 yesr old writes in an exam in a hurry. Hopefully you are a child and thats why. Well kiddo let me tell you the world isnt split into good and bad artists paintings or people. In this universe all good has an element of bad within it and all bad has an element of good at its core. If you're studying english and do have exams coming up for gcses or some similar exams please get some grinds on writing. Good luck!
Hello, I have watched several of your videos and I find them so valuable. Also, I admire your patience with rude commenters! I have been drawing for a while but it was until late 2019 I realized I was very unhappy with what I was making. I'm self-taught but I got caught up on the surface of social media, TH-cam and Pinterest. In 2019 I started reading more academic books on art, I began "paying attention to my attention" which was totally different to what I was learning, which was mostly your typical techniques. I was so confused as to how some people got representation from brick and mortar Art Galleries, and others were for online galleries. I didn't understand the difference between illustration and contemporary art, or fine art. So I spent so much time banging my head on the wall. In 2022 I finally started finding my visual vocabulary but still, being self-taught and a massive introvert, I couldn't quite grasp what I wanted to say. In this video you have perfectly summarized all the mistakes I had been making and though I'm still not quite sure I have what it takes to become a professional artist, at least I feel validated in what I've been feeling about my art and the art I see everywhere. Just with this video I started seeking some galleries on TH-cam and my algorithm has completely changed from silly tutorials on "how to become a full time artist (by producing endless content)" to interviews with contemporary artists that are so interesting! I just discovered Park Seo-Bo and I'm in love! Thank you for these videos!
go and tell this to the many brilliant artists who died in absolute poverty and who were unable to sell anything while alive, Van Gogh for example ,to name one of many, and who their talent was recognized only many years after their death. Picasso was one of the very few lucky ones who had the opportunity to earn money and recognition during his lifetime but he is certainly not a better artist than many others who had a much more difficult life
@@contemporaryartissue Johannes Vermeer, El Greco, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Paul Cezanne ,Edouard Manet, Paul Gauguin, Alfred Sisley,Georges-Pierre Seurat . More or less the same fate as Van Gogh, just to name a few of the most famous ones but there are many others, not to mention women artists then an endless list should be written here😂
I really appreciate this video. As an artist, but even more as an art history and visual arts educator I think It matters tremendously to be able to understand why we know our art is not good when it isn’t. Your 4 reasons here are certainly hitting the mark on many levels, but for me, in my position as an educator your first advice is the most important. For all the benefits of online communities, I am completely in agreement with you that it is too easy to be taken and dazzled by creators versus artists. I witness this so often with my students..schtick art, trendy art, celebrity art…all through social media, designed to push you to make an instant judgement calls: like, don’t like, don’t care…has stifled so much creativity in people… so to repeat myself, I appreciate the way you articulate this.
He is giving the same Guinness book of world records definition of art that's been around since long before he was born. Making something out of "unique materials" is not going to make you into an artist. If you want to do something unique, try doing something with a pencil and paper that no one has done before. Draw in an entirely novel way, and good luck with it. You know why "Cezanne's apples" are distinctive? It's not like no one painted apples before. It's not even that Cezanne's portrayal of apples is better than or more beautiful than Courbet's or anyone else's, or that Cezanne was a better artist, it's just that they are incredibly idiosyncratic -- and not because Cezanne was trying desperately to invent some gimmick that no one had thought of before. On the contrary, he was simply being himself. Want to do something "unique"? Then learn the full range of visual skill, beginning with drawing, until you can draw anything easily, and just follow the aliveness of your own experience. Nature made you an individual. That's already accomplished. But can you express your own true individual nature? That is a real journey worth attempting.
Starting with a personal formula of materials can be a great way to find your voice-e.g., Claire Tabouret, Marco Reichert, Bram Bogart, and so on. But drawing can also be a great way to discover a fresh visual language. They are not mutually exclusive-as stated in the video. Nevertheless, thank you for tuning in and wishing you a great day.
@@contemporaryartissue I wish you a great day as well, but nevertheless you're giving canned advice & you don't know what you're talking about. Who was Rembrandt's first "teacher"? Hint, not Pieter Lastman though that relationship is intriguing too. How to become an artist is not a question you know the answer to, not regarding a "real" artist, or even a hobbyist or whatever. You are repeating art history department ("majored in contemporary") platitudes. And platitudes are platitudes ....
@@aletha16 You are free to judge or ignore my advice in any way you like; that is entirely up to you, and I respect that. The advice I formulate here is directly derived from in-field experience as a (modestly successful) artist, working in the gallery scene, working for institutions and foundations, and the experiences of numerous artists I have had the chance to engage with throughout the years. The advice has proven to work for me, other successful artists, and the artists I advise personally with my advisory services. Art world insiders have approved my articles on the unwritten rules of the art world as well. So, I stand behind every word I say, and I do it with good intentions only to help other artists.
@@contemporaryartissue Now you're talking about business, navigating the various status quo institutions? I thought the topic was "real" art. Shall I assume the reference to Rembrandt's first teacher is outside your scope? Congrats on your modestly successful outcomes. But these platitudes are no different from the realist artist giving advice about "the focal point" or "leading the spectator's eye through the picture." Those are platitudes too, just of a different sort. If fitting in with an imaginary beau monde is the goal, you're doing admirably. If the goal is to use art as a tool to understand actual life -- meh, maybe first let go of platitudes.
This entire channel is about navigating the art world and providing industry-approved advice for artists for success in the highest realms of the art world. No need to be hostile. Enjoy "real art" however you want, but perhaps without decrying others and remaining respectful, as I have been throughout this discussion. That will be all for today. Wishing you all the best.@@aletha16
It’s all about the flavor of the month! I am an artist that paints from my heart! I don’t care about what others say! If I worried about my art being good or bad I would not do Anything! The art world is just big business! It’s about what sells!
@@diannelawrence8921 😆 not really, it functions more like a mob or a mafia,they have an educated eye in the sense that it's an inside game and they invent the rules, there is no objective or real aesthetics going on for the most part
@@diannelawrence8921 What? absolutely not, i mean the gallery gatekeepers has changed and they don't function as an expert eyes anymore, modern contemporary art has become a joke because of Art and Gallery ""Experts"", they use their fame and position to sell things with no Aesthetic values, (like an spining color bucket with holes) and other Gimmicky products,
In a way, there's something sad about becoming a _professional artist._ That almost feels like an oxymoron. If you are subjected to market pressures and current trends, can your art truly be a form of self-expression? Admittedly, I'll always be a mere amateur: I paint for myself. I won't be trying to sell anything. I'm only interested in making art that speaks to me, and I think that's the best way to eventually touch someone else with my work.
Amateur. It's right there in the word: he who does something for love. Much of the so-called art world (the high end) is not even art. It is money laundering. Things are made as unregulated currency. But that's another topic.
I had the same thought the other day. “I’m a full time artist”.(spoken with pride) My response … “Oh , I’m sorry to hear that. You’ll get inspired again one day I hope”.
I don't think you understand the nuance of a fine arts artist and a comercial artist. Their intentions are not the same. Comercial succes is just a part of the process.
For me it is important that painting gives pleasure. I am realist. I have a job and I'm putting my dreams of being a full-time artist aside. But these dreams are still alive. I don't want to become financially dependent on my art. After working hours, I create and maybe something will come of it in the future. I recommend this approach
This was way more constructive and concise than I had anticipated based on the title and I’m glad that I watched the video. I think this echoes some great advice you have given before: find your style and be consistent… but then deftly navigates the murky waters that I often find troublesome of inspiration and writing about/understanding/contextualizing your story… It is all good things to consider
Very naive take on top galleries and how they function. As a top gallery one is supposed to assume that the art they represent is of value. This is not the case, as they represent the latest trends as dictated by art- publications and are primarily profit driven.I find this promotes superficiality and banaal "art" which is sold to an audience that knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.
I resist the idea that commercial success and acclaim are necessary indicators of a creation being “good” as those things tend to be determined by a mix of human psychology, market interests, and opportunity. One can calculate their work to appeal to all of those things in order to yield relative success. It’s business not necessarily art, let alone “good” art (though it can be all of the above.) For the artist, I think that “good art” is personal and should be defined as getting as close as possible to your personal definition of “good,” no more and no less. This would include refining your skill and learning from other people whose thoughts and execution of ideas inspires you. But to strive to be uniformly “good” is useless as there’s no necessary outward consequence to art being “bad” or “good”… other than making money which, again, is foremost a matter business.
And when you need to eat, pay bills and rent, there is very much (and always) a business side to being a professional artist. Whether the business of art is defined as commercial is a matter of individual reality. It's always easy for people who art NOT professional artists to have an opinion about what professional artist should create or not to keep lights on and a roof over our heads while at the same time being arm-chair critics who don't buy/collect art. Our art is what we - artists see, say and want it to be. If someone doesn't like or "get" it, than it's not speaking to those people - NEXT... Keep it moving.
I’m nervous around the unique materials thing. Artists can end up being seen as a ‘one trick pony’ or curatorial demand for them to repeat themselves prevents them from progressing and developing. Some years ago I was working at a gallery that was a host for the British Art Show. We were allocated a prominent ‘YBA’. When she arrived it became very clear she was fed up with being asked to endlessly repeat work to the same format (she was an installation artist) feeling it has holding her back. Although she enjoyed quite a high profile she was still young, and we felt she was intimidated by the power ‘the system’ had over her work. However, she decided to make a minor change. The curator - an influential and overbearing national art critic with an inflated sense of his own importance - went crazy at the poor woman. Fortunately she survived the outburst and went on to better things!
Hi Chris, I trust you are doing well. Yes, the system can be very demanding or push you towards being gimmicky. However, must often the ones that occassionaly break free from these expectations and surprise us every now and then are the ones that continue to grow. The unique materials thing is an imortant starting point, but of course the journey and your development should not end as soon as you have found your "formula." Thank you for sharing this anecdote here! Have a great day and stay in touch. All my best, Julien
@@contemporaryartissue A professor of mine (in the distant past) said that entering the artworld was like building your house. You didn't want to live in a one room shack, so you should build a big house, or one that could be easily added on to. I've known artists who were pigeon-holed early in their career, but with time and imagination they were able to "add on to their house." It required them gradually introducing new ideas and materials alongside the thing that was expected.
I have had the fortune of great professional success in another area, but success as an artist seems so elusive. Your advice for standing out is appreciated, I will keep going.
This is helpful advice, even for artists who don't try to sell their art. For instance, writing about your art can help you think more clearly about your subject matter and how you plan to depict it. As your writing progresses, you may think of additional layers or methods to use in the artwork itself. If nothing else, you have a framework that helps you focus.
The problem that I've had with writing about my art has something to do with the act of writing itself. It's just my opinion, of course, but it seems to me that writing too much about one's art is a bit of a two-edged sword. Visual art is inherently a different language and so it speaks to us in a non-verbal way. So, in my opinion, when many artists write about their work, the writings are executed in an indirect, confusing, and non-linear style that directly contradicts the tenets of good writing: expressing something directly, succinctly and clearly. I mean, I'm a visual artist, but was an English major in college and when I read most contemporary art writings, I'm completely lost. It's purposefully enigmatic, convoluted, and, my I say, pretentious. Sorry if I sound like a bit of a dick, but if you have to do too much "splaining" about your work, then maybe you should be a writer if the ideas behind the work are that complex, esoteric, remote, and personal.
Getting ideas and learning skills from paintings hung in galleries is just fine. The old saying just be you, works great while learning skills. The truth about great art is to communicate something to others. It came before writing as a simple way to communicate to others. The gimmicky art found in art shows today all over this world makes me a bit sad what artist and critics have stooped to. Art does not need to communicate a message as it did in it's first beginnings. Rather it needs to communicate emotions or anything others can connect to.
I hate to say this but so much of what I see in big gallery shows and top artists is painful to my eyes! Gaudy, horrible and simply reflecting the materialism and depravity of our times. What comes first? The culture or the art promoted by the elites? They may be more experts in degradation and mind control than in art.
You brought up a key point regarding Instagram. The problem of being buried by art based on audience retention. The problem of gatekeepers vs the flood of art on the social platforms. It would be interesting to see a video that addresses this issue in depth.
This is really really helpful, even tho I don't consider myself as much of an artist, I do appreciate arts in various forms and sometimes I do try and express myself through certain applications. However your advice has sparked of a train of thought that I feel has been more effective in encouragement than most mediums that I have been exploring in for inspiration. With this said, I would like to thank you for your multiple helpful suggestions and guidance. 🎯💋
Very thoughtfully put together video with a lot of ideas. I especially agree with and loved the suggestion, "Learn from the masters - visit galleries and museums." While visiting Louvre I was so happy to see so many school tours and school kids sitting and sketching and painting the masters. Looking forward to more videos!
It feels like today on social media, the content creation part is more important than what you're actually creating as an artist (painter in my case) and that's sad but we have to play the game... Evolve or die 😭
It is indeed a worrying tendency, however, we don't have to abandon our principles just for the followers and likes. This weekend, I'll be presenting a video on how to use Instagram in the best way possible. Feel free to stay tuned!
I work with large scale arches watercolor paper, i cant necessarily create my own paper, i mean i could but arches should be good for galleries right? Also, i tend to use less conventional mediums in my process as well
Then you're all good! As I mentioned, it is perfectly fine to work in a more conventional manner as well, and if you already use less conventional mediums, than you shouldn't worry too much about your surface. Go for it!
I have used Arches exclusively for 50 years. Basically all weights and surfaces. It is a pre-eminent paper. since the Renaissance actually. I use it everyday. I have developed a personal method of painting and assembly of pieces that leaves out having to frame and glaze the surface. and it protects and enhances the works. Love Arches.. What a gift to the discerning artist , drawer or watercolorist.
@@stevenp.6062 interesting, and I agree. Framing is problem for me since I’m relatively new to the gallery world. I’m working up to 60x60 so the framing world is a new problem I’ve encountered since usually I have a storage for my work. I’m trying to figure out some custom solutions and some places for the frames to be made since I can’t seem to find anywhere that sells that large for the type of frame I want.
It took me a few days to realize the impact of this video, Julien. After watching, all those other shiny distracting things melted away as I came back down to Earth. You are an artist whisperer, and from the looks of comments many felt the same. Thanks for the gift!
@@karlabritfeld7104 It's not nearly as good as mine, that's why we don't put each others art on our walls :) we're all egotistical and insufferable. And we all have impeccable taste.
Top art galleries often show junk. I would recommend studying old masters, even if they are old fashioned but all great art stem from masterpieces of the past. De Kooning was great because he understood Rubens even his art does not look like a Rubens.
I'm a classical music composer, but still your figurative-art considerations do apply also to music, and I believe to all art in general. Congratulations for the analysis. And thanks for stating clearly that there is good and bad art. Indeed. I'm sick and tired of the postmodernist BS claiming there is no good or bad, that behind success there is only power, and that everything is relative. Only mediocre people can make these claims.
I want to add a different opinion on this take. Once you start creating art from a perspective of focusing on what other people think, or what they will this you are going to be lost. Create what you want hownyou want. There is a range of people who buy and collect art for a different reason. I dont have one atylemof making art , my euvre is varied . Each peice is different from the other. I am in South Africa and I am one one the most prestigious collections. The so called art world will have you believe that there is only one way of making a living from your art. Piccaso did not have one style of making art 😏 he just made art. Not evrything je made was a masterpiece. Just create. Art that is made with honesty and dadication is shows. It does not nees to be explained. All the galleries in yhe world cannot contain all the greateat art. History also shows that the artist that did not care about what art should look like and follow these rules, were the artist that made it. So juat create.
I recommend this video. It correlates with my research since my undergrad years and sounds accurate to today's standards. It also explains what has always been the case when it comes to understanding the many variations of art, and your art compared to the art world as we know it.
Overexplaining things can often kill art indeed. However, you should think about your art, write about it, and talk about it. If there is nothing to say, what is there to see?
@@contemporaryartissue Having something to say doesn't necessarily require words. Can you not view art, understand art, without an accompanying explanation. If I have to explain it, why paint it?
@@karlabritfeld7104 Right?! Even when I know what I'm trying to convey (it happens), I don't how to talk about it, don't want to, and don't see why I have to. And if this is what it takes to get into the high end art world, no thanks. As if that would happen anyway. 😆
@@contemporaryartissueI’m curious about this… so all the art needs to be intellectual art? Or like of artist obsessed about something? What if I DO paint from nothing to go nowhere? I just paint layers of whatever is going on for me in the present moment? Yes I do curate aesthetically in some stages… but’s not planned. I will never be taken seriously? Or should I write a small text about stuff that’s in my head that day and then paint? Or there’s only value in planned paintings? I struggle to understand this after watching the video! Thanks for your insight!
I LOVE the work I create. I was educated in art, and I believe it to be good. But I struggle to get it taken seriously by gallery professionals or to make sales.
Time makes great wine, over time the best art usually rises to the top. If you are a professional artist you will soon see what works out in the market place. I do miss the days when there were art movements.
I've seen incredibly more inspiring art on social medias that I've seen in galeries. Do I have to believe the giant canva with the Monopoly guy is high art because it's curated ? And if we all get our inspiration from the same places, aren't we gonna make the same filtered art ?
I follow your videos since a few months mow and they are really helpful and help me to do it in the art world. It is long path who requires a strong discipline but it really worth it. Whatt you said is true I don´t refer to social media concerning my art. I just use Instagram as an extension of my business card I don´t be an influencer but an artist and it is very important to notice this difference when it´s about social media. So thank you very much fort this videos
I'm a photographer. Some of my work is bound to my era because some elements didn't exist beforehand. Modern cars and trains and architecture for example. Or I go bush and photograph our bushland. The photographs could have been made more-or-less any time since photography was invented, but the subject matter is clearly Australian. Or, if I go down to the beach it might be from anywhere.
The information is excellent. I just got confused about the last point. What did he mean by “linear?” And the cliché about “figurative and abstract?” Does this mean not to incorporate the figurative and abstract in the same painting? Btw. Joining Patreon for sure. Thank you for your channel !!!
Thank you for tuning in and your kind response! Concerning the linear subject matter; beginner artists often try to produce a very confined, demarcated, and linear backstory in terms of the subject matter. Visual element A represents subject matter A and nothing else. A layered artwork has various visual elements referring to various layers and thus, a multitude of readings is offered. Don't have a singular or linear message. Have an artwork that is able to open up various messages-even messages or readings the artist was not aware of. Concerning figuration and abstraction; you can definitely incorporate both in the same painting. We have been doing this since the Salon des Réfusés in 1863, followed by Impressionism and the Modernist development towards abstraction. That is exactly why stating your art merges figuration and abstraction is a cliché or irrelevant analysis of the subject matter, statement, or bio. Monet did it, Picasso did it, de Kooning did it, and so on, up to this very day. Yet, so many beginner artists or hobby artists will discuss this when theorizing their work or writing an artist statement. Superbe that you're joining our CAI Patreon. I genuinely appreciate it! Stay in touch. All my best, Julien
@@contemporaryartissueYour explanations are always superb julien ,I can’t never thank you enough for what you’re doing!You are saving us from irrelevance!
@@contemporaryartissuehey. Thank you for the clarification. Thank you for helping me understand better. I think you make the most valid points. I started the book you recommended. I’m half way through “Everything for art!” Great information. Especially when defining “Canon” artists. I recommend your channel to any serious artists.
Thanks so much, amazing as all your videos, I believe strongly one artist just take steps to see all your videos and really listen to them and read your articles in website can have a great success!
I think authenticity is more important than searching for some novelty gimmick materials in order to stand out. You should be able to produce decent artwork without having to resort to scouring the local waste skip for a used mattress or other novelty material upon which you can paint your next 'masterpiece'.
One thing that has become cliched and tired subject matter is social justice-based work. I get enough propaganda from the media and clowns in my daily life. I value visually compelling artwork and don't care about any message it is conveying, which is usually eye-rolling and tired, it turns me off.
I'm not sold on there being this wiser group who gets to adjudicate "good" art. I'm reading a biography of Van Gogh, for example. Poor bloke sold only one canvas in his lifetime, was ridiculed by the establishment art world....if he'd listened to this video he may have given up! What a loss to the world that would have been. Another thought that springs to mind is a recent trend for what I would call political art. It's in all the great museums and galleries the moment for the messages rather than aesthetic appeal or other considerations. I find much of it tame, clichéd, iconographic (nothing wrong with that but I get the impression the artist is creating this style almost inadvertently). Hmm. I'm no expert but I do see over and over in life a feeling that someone up there or out there is better knowing and that all we should do is hit their expectations for a reward. Yet when I speak with real world artists their motivation wells from within, their work shines from their unique view on the world
Thanks for this video, it is really helpful. I am sure I fallen in to some of these mistakes so now there is something to consider going forward with my art practice.
Art is not about bad or good. Art is art, expression of human feeling and gratitude...so every art is right. What matters is an art could be uniquely teresting or not interesting so it is not about good or bad.
Hello, Thank you for these videos, they shed light on different aspects that I didn't find much online. The fact that you are speaking from experience is also a good perspective to consider. I would like to ask if you can share your ideas for digital artists or video artists in creating their website or their approach to the art world. It seems to me that it's a little different from painters, sculptors, and other artists working with physical materials. It seems to me that they are also categorized as contemporary art if I'm not mistaken.
I'm an artist. I focus creat art, compose music for movies, commercials, television, and videos. I also write books. I'm also a photographer. I never create to be judged by anyone. I just create, because I love it. I see other people becoming famous for their work. I don't care about that fame. I see all art work as a beautiful creation. I can't find a favorite they are all amazing.
Thank you for watching and for your constructive feedback. I used to have a clip-on mic and upgraded to a RODE Videomic PRO (just out the shot). Have a great day!
Most modern art substitutes weird for quality, narrow isms for scope, and trendy for depth. It also refuses to change or even talk about progressive ideas in art like those that follow Too many treat art as a marketing scheme. Modern art has become a trendy clique and the art now is mostly over promoted footnotes to greater art that was done 100 years ago. But art is too important to be reduced to a trendy clique. Post-ism, is art for a new century, not a continuation of last century trends. 1 Mass Market Paintings like Prints. When any art form is mass marketed it enters a golden age. This has happened with books, records, and film. Let's add paintings. Most art is in storage in museum basements. Mass Marketing allows art to tour in copies and allows artists to make royalties on copies. Why do you think the world gets so excited about a new great book, record, or film; but no one cares about a new great painting? All are mass produced except the painting. 2. End a Century of Isms. Dump the genres and formulas and let all kinds of art be a part of the art world. 3. Shift Emphasis From Trendy to Quality. Shift emphasis from the latest trendy art, to quality art in any style. Just because art is weird does not mean it is great art. 4. Free the Art From Museums and Galleries. Get the art out of the ivory elitist museum and gallery towers and back into the world. Have city art centers open to all artists. Make art that is relevant and communicates with people. Start with the first generation of artists online. 5. Postism is Part of a Bigger Revolution. Postism is part of the bigger art and media revolution out of Dallas, that includes art, music, lit, film, media, and a lot more. 6. Postism online: Online artists are the new wave of art. We had all the isms of last century. Now we have a free for all, of all kinds of artists, that are not sanctioned by any museum or gallery, displaying their work. Out of that comes the next wave and revolution of artists. Last century the goal was to fit the ism. This century the goal is to do great art - no ism, no boundaries. Fractionalized art then, synchronized art now. Even calling something modern art is a type of ism that separates that art from the art of the past. The 20th century was a century of experimentation in art. Now in the 21st we can choose from all those styles and / or start one of our own. Then too if someone devises a way to charge and collect a penny per view on a webpage, that would allow any great artist to get money for their art and have a career without any middlemen. Duchamp broke ground 100 years ago - but now his clones are just shoveling dirt. Weird art is easy, you put a strip of raw bacon across an expensive violin, but it's not good art. Join the art revolution and pull the art world out of last century. Musea since 1992.
Interpreting the dogs expressions: 1:20 enough already .get to the point 2:55 I'd rather be outside 3:30 who is gonna believe that 10:10 when is this gonna end 10:13 next chance I run for it
@@contemporaryartissue Not always. I can think of many bluechip artists whom are terrible painters. I was at the Metropolitan Museum of Art last week. After the Manet/Degas show I visited the contemporary galleries. I was appalled at the level of poor quality, which was especially apparent after the superlative genius that Manet and Degas had set. The Metropolitan dropped their high standards in favor of inclusion. In galleries, utter drivel is celebrated.
@@davidhunternyc1Maybe you just prefer more traditional art. Both Manet and Degas were ridiculed as bad inept painters by those who preferred the more traditional art of their own day.
@@tthomas184 Nope, this isn't the case. I prefer great art. For instance, I admire Francis Bacon, Neo Rauch, David Hammons, Jordan Wolfson, & Paul Pfeiffer, and many others. People fall back on this excuse, that either I'm too traditional in my "tastes" or that I'm anti-woke. Nope. I just want art to be great. There is very, very little great art. The 21st century work hanging at the Met, for the most part, was shite, both technically and in concept. Diversity comes at the expense of quality. Very little art will stand the test of time.
@@davidhunternyc1 Who doesn't prefer great art? None of the artists you name or admire are necessarily great artists, whose work will stand the test of time. We don't know who people a hundred years from now will favor. I think it was Edward Hopper who said, 'Most artists are forgotten 15 minutes after they die'. And obviously art is subjective. Better to say you don't like something then to simply dismiss it as shitte.
Listening to the guy is both amazing and frustrating. It is like complicating something simple, in my view. I love creating art. But I do not claim to know anything about art. I just like doing them, and feel happy about the creation. Chances are, there will be people who will see the happiness and satisfaction in that artwork, that they will have the need to own it. Frustrating ,specially that part where one has to create a layer of description about your art. I have read some that it is so profound that it feels like only the artist understands what they wrote.. or maybe I am just too stupid to understand it. In the end, I stop reading the rest of the description and just look at the art itself. and then end up not understanding the art as well. I guess thats was the reason I opted to read the artist's description. For me, an art, that drives me into the image and feel, and relate, and want to stare more, without any other explanation is a successful art. It maybe not successful financially, but I am one hundred percent sure that any artist would want to see their art hanging at a random stranger's wall. worthy to be part of their lives.
4 reasons why Art 1 Art is neither good or bad. 2. Common sense is not the way or the gauge of artistic qualities.3 If you paint for cash, go for it. 4 if you dont sell work, go for it. 5 Art has no rules, only guide lines for certain aesthetic outcomes.
That's like saying there are no rules to playing a guitar good or bad and that anyone can be a musician, whether good or bad. There are objective truths in this reality. But most people cannot understand truth.
My compliments ! Finaly , somebody understanding the needs of an Artist to not give a BS story about their inspiration, but just be honnest about it. i just create out of pain , and sadness no hurt ….no art! Just me))
Para nada de acuerdo con el punto 3. Buscar nuevos materiales. Eso es esencial? Renoir, Courbet, Delacroix, Degas… todos pintaban sobre lienzo, no es eso lo que los diferencia. Punto de vista muy superficial que se afirma como una ley. Hacer obras con tapas de Yogurt no lo convierte en algo relevante, ni pintar sobre espaldas de iguana. O si?
Which contemporary artists are covering interesting subject matter? Is the cliché or frequent coverage of emotions redundant, or are there contemporary artists making progress here?
I paint with the intent to satisfy my inner needs. I don’t care about people’s taste or preferences. My objective is to improve and to discover my style. Painting is a meeting with my irrational thoughts. That’s it.
So many brilliant songwriters and musicians are not world famous yet Taylor Swift with her mediocre writing, even though hard working, is famous billionaire. Modern art took a lot of inspiration from kids’ art, folk and indigenous art, genius of African masks became famous only through Picasso and Modigliani; Art Brut then extended it to art of mentally ill and self taught outsiders, stating their works are created from solitude and from pure and authentic creative impulses - where the worries of competition, acclaim and social promotion do not interfere, and because of these very facts, their art is more precious than the productions of professions. I personally think we should have permanent galleries of kids’ art and huge Outsider Art/Art Brut galleries as well. The best quote I think about now is the one from famous art house director Werner Herzog, talking about the art of film: ‘Academia is the death of cinema. It is the very opposite of passion. Film is not the art of scholars, but of illiterates’.
i saw so many exhibition and bottom line is that people whho exhibit are bad. I will not call them artist. they just decided to draw paint or sculpt and they call themself artist. they have nerve to show their crap
Good perspectives here, but see how he glosses over contacts/ gatekeepers of the ( highly corrupt ) art world at the very beginning. Even unique style or incredible talent is no guarantee of success at all.
"Subjective" is the word. All art is determined "good" or "bad" by a small group of people who usually have a vested interest, that is the truth of it. That small group of people pay huge amounts of money, persuaded to do so by other vested interests, as an investment when a great many of these "Masterpieces" would not be hung in the toilet by the vast majority of the populace and the answer to them is that they are 'Ignorant', which is oh so convenient. Their is a hierarchy in play which decides which artists will receive all the benefits thus leaving the remainder with very little to share between them. This same structure also applies to music, literature etc. with the "popularity" of any decided by the amount of money and, in music, airplay it is given. On top of all that there is the "old school " network to contend with when at the same time those "old schools" are churning out clone after clone with the promise of success; in a few cases it works but not for the majority. The absolute bottom line is, "Does your face fit?". If it does there may be an opportunity for advancement but if it doesn't the barriers are almost insurmountable. There are, in my humble opinion, only a few rules. 1. Forget about what you are being told and make the art you want to make. 2. Practice your art until you develop your own, unique style. 3. Practice some more, there is no alternative to practice. 4. Make an attempt to say something that others may understand or find interesting. 5. Expect nothing and you will never be disappointed. Of course every artist in all the arts wants to be recognised but very few will gain any status but there are many who have designed a product to tell you how and, of course, they make money. In the present time "Mediocrity Rules, OK" therefore the choice is to join the trend or be true to yourself. While you are contemplating your path let me tell you I am an artist and a collector of other people's work and the amount of 'art' I come across in charity shops is astounding in the fact their only value is in the stretcher frame. There are two reasons for this; either the artist found the practice too laborious or their work is merely one of a million others and are, therefore, boring. The worst thing, I believe, for any artist to be called is "Boring".
i thing there is no bad artwork , example the scream painting is bad ? the painting sold with price $119.9 million, and kids painting or drawing always make their parent smile. So in my opinion its depend for what the artwork for, Game industries or movie? so its depend
The Scream by Edvard Munch is one of the greatest pieces of Modern Art and was ahead of its time. But you're absolutely right, it all depends on the context, industry, or realm of the art world. On this channel, we predominantly discuss career advice for artists who pursue success in the highest realms of the art world (gallery circuit, museums, etc.)
This "advice" has nothing to do with art and is solely focused on the elite gallery business. The modern art scene has become a laughingstock because of this outlook. You are trapped in the same cycle of bad influence that you criticize. However, because of the comforting effect of the money involved, no genuine reflection or change is likely to happen anytime soon.
Good for them. God bless them. I just gave you my thoughts on Naive Art. You won't ever improve your artwork if it's never criticized. I make good money from my artwork BTW. So you are not right as rain. @@riteasrain
You said it completely and nicely: it has to be good art that could have impact but it also has to be at the right place, with right context, seen by right people at the right time. Many good art suffers and never gets the recognition it deserves because of what you have mentioned here. Thanks.
My criteria is strictly, "Would I like to have this in my house?" Sometimes in a museum, I see something so wonderful, that I go to the museum shop and look for a postcard of it. I don't have much money, but I have a lot of postcards. If I make something and I can't truly say I want to keep it, I don't imagine anybody else should want it. The world is full of "stuff". Be selective about your visual environment, and make your art accordingly.
Be selective about your visual environment, and make your art accordingly
And that's why my house has lots of paintings by me :) oops doesn't that sound like an ego trip lol. For me it's more like 'mommy thought it was good enough to go on the fridge' :)
@argusfleibeit1165 No, sweetie. FINE artists should always make art that they feel in/to/from their spirit/soul and for no other reason/incentive. If you're a hobbyist or commercial artist than you make art that appeals to the general and/or that's commissioned for commercial purposes. This is especially true with artists who create works that speak to social, political, ethnic and/or cultural issues.
@@tiwantiwaabibiman2603 I can go over to the University Art Dept. any time, and admire the hideous and meaningful '''fine art" those geniuses turn out. Then I can go back to my house and look at things around me that make me stop wanting to unalive myself and/or others in this rat-hole of reality. But you do you, honey-bun.
I love peoples unique art. It bores the hell out of me to see perfect art. When i went to art college i hated it..there was this elderly lady in our drawing class maybe 60 she would draw amazing detailed art work portraits and because of her baad eyesight she would scew the perspective in mad ways that made really interesting undulations like it was all perfect but like you were looking through different focus lenses...it was beaautiful. The teacher kept rubbing out her stuff and doing it for her to correct it. I hated it. I hated the corrections ..the imperfections and ynique visions of people are beautiful. Unique.
Excellent
That is such a great observation. It's why I can't stand most movies and TV programs. All the actors and actresses are too perfect looking. It's so boring, not to mention unbelievable. As for perfectly rendered art, what's the point? It was probably done using a photograph with a grid superimposed. Even AI can do better than that.
I think that bad artists keep obsessing a lot over other things than what they actually want to paint or they are trying to be somebody else. Picasso tried to show people in his art that they do not own everything, that nobody is in control and he could not control his urges. His art was his desperate cry for help. Bad artists are obsessed with things like the next disease and so their paintings become bad because they do not give themselves time to organise them properly. Good artists ask themselves what the customer wants to see - and then proceed to paint this and put themselves into their subjects´shoes. Good artists ask the question what being the subject matter of the painting is like. Let´s say you are an artist who works at Black Rock and you want to paint something which happened in Ukraine. You can keep your personal feeling out of it and still make an excellent painting, or you can keep your feelings about what you are painting as part of it to make it more powerful and add extra drama. Good paintings execute a lot of drama, but bad painters are poor dramatists and their paintings feel bland and flat.
@@Yatukih_001 what a boring comment. Sounds like something a 15 yesr old writes in an exam in a hurry. Hopefully you are a child and thats why. Well kiddo let me tell you the world isnt split into good and bad artists paintings or people. In this universe all good has an element of bad within it and all bad has an element of good at its core. If you're studying english and do have exams coming up for gcses or some similar exams please get some grinds on writing. Good luck!
As a beginner artist, I think I have to experiment and explore styles & techniques, so when I finally strike something unique, I can build upon it.
You're absolutely right. Go for it!
I think that Good artists are polite and respectful and constantly check how others respond to their behaviour.
Hello, I have watched several of your videos and I find them so valuable. Also, I admire your patience with rude commenters! I have been drawing for a while but it was until late 2019 I realized I was very unhappy with what I was making. I'm self-taught but I got caught up on the surface of social media, TH-cam and Pinterest. In 2019 I started reading more academic books on art, I began "paying attention to my attention" which was totally different to what I was learning, which was mostly your typical techniques. I was so confused as to how some people got representation from brick and mortar Art Galleries, and others were for online galleries. I didn't understand the difference between illustration and contemporary art, or fine art. So I spent so much time banging my head on the wall. In 2022 I finally started finding my visual vocabulary but still, being self-taught and a massive introvert, I couldn't quite grasp what I wanted to say. In this video you have perfectly summarized all the mistakes I had been making and though I'm still not quite sure I have what it takes to become a professional artist, at least I feel validated in what I've been feeling about my art and the art I see everywhere. Just with this video I started seeking some galleries on TH-cam and my algorithm has completely changed from silly tutorials on "how to become a full time artist (by producing endless content)" to interviews with contemporary artists that are so interesting! I just discovered Park Seo-Bo and I'm in love! Thank you for these videos!
Your comment is awesome! If possible, please leave some recommendations for channels/videos with that theme of videos you mentioned.
That’s awesome! I’m glad you were able to derive some real meaning from this video!
“Artist is a person who paints what you can sell. A good artist is a person who sells what he paints.” - Picasso
Great quote! Thank you for tuning in
go and tell this to the many brilliant artists who died in absolute poverty and who were unable to sell anything while alive, Van Gogh for example ,to name one of many, and who their talent was recognized only many years after their death. Picasso was one of the very few lucky ones who had the opportunity to earn money and recognition during his lifetime but he is certainly not a better artist than many others who had a much more difficult life
Van Gogh is the exception, not the rule. Most successful artists are famous during their lifetime as well. @@liv0003
@@contemporaryartissue no he wast "the exception", many painters went famous only after their death actually
@@contemporaryartissue Johannes Vermeer, El Greco, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Paul Cezanne ,Edouard Manet, Paul Gauguin, Alfred Sisley,Georges-Pierre Seurat . More or less the same fate as Van Gogh, just to name a few of the most famous ones but there are many others, not to mention women artists then an endless list should be written here😂
I really appreciate this video. As an artist, but even more as an art history and visual arts educator I think It matters tremendously to be able to understand why we know our art is not good when it isn’t. Your 4 reasons here are certainly hitting the mark on many levels, but for me, in my position as an educator your first advice is the most important. For all the benefits of online communities, I am completely in agreement with you that it is too easy to be taken and dazzled by creators versus artists. I witness this so often with my students..schtick art, trendy art, celebrity art…all through social media, designed to push you to make an instant judgement calls: like, don’t like, don’t care…has stifled so much creativity in people… so to repeat myself, I appreciate the way you articulate this.
He is giving the same Guinness book of world records definition of art that's been around since long before he was born. Making something out of "unique materials" is not going to make you into an artist. If you want to do something unique, try doing something with a pencil and paper that no one has done before. Draw in an entirely novel way, and good luck with it. You know why "Cezanne's apples" are distinctive? It's not like no one painted apples before. It's not even that Cezanne's portrayal of apples is better than or more beautiful than Courbet's or anyone else's, or that Cezanne was a better artist, it's just that they are incredibly idiosyncratic -- and not because Cezanne was trying desperately to invent some gimmick that no one had thought of before. On the contrary, he was simply being himself. Want to do something "unique"? Then learn the full range of visual skill, beginning with drawing, until you can draw anything easily, and just follow the aliveness of your own experience. Nature made you an individual. That's already accomplished. But can you express your own true individual nature? That is a real journey worth attempting.
Starting with a personal formula of materials can be a great way to find your voice-e.g., Claire Tabouret, Marco Reichert, Bram Bogart, and so on. But drawing can also be a great way to discover a fresh visual language. They are not mutually exclusive-as stated in the video. Nevertheless, thank you for tuning in and wishing you a great day.
@@contemporaryartissue I wish you a great day as well, but nevertheless you're giving canned advice & you don't know what you're talking about. Who was Rembrandt's first "teacher"? Hint, not Pieter Lastman though that relationship is intriguing too. How to become an artist is not a question you know the answer to, not regarding a "real" artist, or even a hobbyist or whatever. You are repeating art history department ("majored in contemporary") platitudes. And platitudes are platitudes ....
@@aletha16 You are free to judge or ignore my advice in any way you like; that is entirely up to you, and I respect that. The advice I formulate here is directly derived from in-field experience as a (modestly successful) artist, working in the gallery scene, working for institutions and foundations, and the experiences of numerous artists I have had the chance to engage with throughout the years. The advice has proven to work for me, other successful artists, and the artists I advise personally with my advisory services. Art world insiders have approved my articles on the unwritten rules of the art world as well. So, I stand behind every word I say, and I do it with good intentions only to help other artists.
@@contemporaryartissue Now you're talking about business, navigating the various status quo institutions? I thought the topic was "real" art. Shall I assume the reference to Rembrandt's first teacher is outside your scope? Congrats on your modestly successful outcomes. But these platitudes are no different from the realist artist giving advice about "the focal point" or "leading the spectator's eye through the picture." Those are platitudes too, just of a different sort. If fitting in with an imaginary beau monde is the goal, you're doing admirably. If the goal is to use art as a tool to understand actual life -- meh, maybe first let go of platitudes.
This entire channel is about navigating the art world and providing industry-approved advice for artists for success in the highest realms of the art world. No need to be hostile. Enjoy "real art" however you want, but perhaps without decrying others and remaining respectful, as I have been throughout this discussion. That will be all for today. Wishing you all the best.@@aletha16
It’s all about the flavor of the month! I am an artist that paints from my heart! I don’t care about what others say! If I worried about my art being
good or bad I would not do
Anything! The art world is just big business! It’s about what sells!
The art world is about the business of having an educated eye.
@@diannelawrence8921 😆 not really, it functions more like a mob or a mafia,they have an educated eye in the sense that it's an inside game and they invent the rules, there is no objective or real aesthetics going on for the most part
@@kooshanjazayeri so are you saying that the painting of a novice has the same aesthetic value as the painting of a master?
@@kooshanjazayeri so you are saying that the painting of a novice has the same value as the painting of a master?
@@diannelawrence8921 What? absolutely not, i mean the gallery gatekeepers has changed and they don't function as an expert eyes anymore, modern contemporary art has become a joke because of Art and Gallery ""Experts"", they use their fame and position to sell things with no Aesthetic values, (like an spining color bucket with holes) and other Gimmicky products,
In a way, there's something sad about becoming a _professional artist._ That almost feels like an oxymoron. If you are subjected to market pressures and current trends, can your art truly be a form of self-expression? Admittedly, I'll always be a mere amateur: I paint for myself. I won't be trying to sell anything. I'm only interested in making art that speaks to me, and I think that's the best way to eventually touch someone else with my work.
Totally get what you are saying. Soulless art, made to please others or to be hip, trendy or experimental.
Amateur. It's right there in the word: he who does something for love.
Much of the so-called art world (the high end) is not even art. It is money laundering. Things are made as unregulated currency. But that's another topic.
@@aletha16 Couldn't agree more!
I had the same thought the other day. “I’m a full time artist”.(spoken with pride)
My response …
“Oh , I’m sorry to hear that. You’ll get inspired again one day I hope”.
I don't think you understand the nuance of a fine arts artist and a comercial artist. Their intentions are not the same.
Comercial succes is just a part of the process.
For me it is important that painting gives pleasure. I am realist. I have a job and I'm putting my dreams of being a full-time artist aside. But these dreams are still alive. I don't want to become financially dependent on my art. After working hours, I create and maybe something will come of it in the future. I recommend this approach
This was way more constructive and concise than I had anticipated based on the title and I’m glad that I watched the video. I think this echoes some great advice you have given before: find your style and be consistent… but then deftly navigates the murky waters that I often find troublesome of inspiration and writing about/understanding/contextualizing your story… It is all good things to consider
That's great to hear, thank you very much for your kind feedback. More to come, so feel free to stay tuned. Wishing you all the best!
Your explanations are spot on. So true about ways to make your artworks deeper and thought provoking.
Very naive take on top galleries and how they function. As a top gallery one is supposed to assume that the art they represent is of value. This is not the case, as they represent the latest trends as dictated by art- publications and are primarily profit driven.I find this promotes superficiality and banaal "art" which is sold to an audience that knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.
Nowadays most of what is called “art” is not art…the subject are also poor…and ego related.
I resist the idea that commercial success and acclaim are necessary indicators of a creation being “good” as those things tend to be determined by a mix of human psychology, market interests, and opportunity. One can calculate their work to appeal to all of those things in order to yield relative success. It’s business not necessarily art, let alone “good” art (though it can be all of the above.) For the artist, I think that “good art” is personal and should be defined as getting as close as possible to your personal definition of “good,” no more and no less. This would include refining your skill and learning from other people whose thoughts and execution of ideas inspires you. But to strive to be uniformly “good” is useless as there’s no necessary outward consequence to art being “bad” or “good”… other than making money which, again, is foremost a matter business.
Your words nail it
And when you need to eat, pay bills and rent, there is very much (and always) a business side to being a professional artist. Whether the business of art is defined as commercial is a matter of individual reality. It's always easy for people who art NOT professional artists to have an opinion about what professional artist should create or not to keep lights on and a roof over our heads while at the same time being arm-chair critics who don't buy/collect art.
Our art is what we - artists see, say and want it to be. If someone doesn't like or "get" it, than it's not speaking to those people - NEXT... Keep it moving.
I’m nervous around the unique materials thing. Artists can end up being seen as a ‘one trick pony’ or curatorial demand for them to repeat themselves prevents them from progressing and developing. Some years ago I was working at a gallery that was a host for the British Art Show. We were allocated a prominent ‘YBA’. When she arrived it became very clear she was fed up with being asked to endlessly repeat work to the same format (she was an installation artist) feeling it has holding her back. Although she enjoyed quite a high profile she was still young, and we felt she was intimidated by the power ‘the system’ had over her work. However, she decided to make a minor change. The curator - an influential and overbearing national art critic with an inflated sense of his own importance - went crazy at the poor woman. Fortunately she survived the outburst and went on to better things!
Hi Chris, I trust you are doing well. Yes, the system can be very demanding or push you towards being gimmicky. However, must often the ones that occassionaly break free from these expectations and surprise us every now and then are the ones that continue to grow. The unique materials thing is an imortant starting point, but of course the journey and your development should not end as soon as you have found your "formula." Thank you for sharing this anecdote here! Have a great day and stay in touch. All my best, Julien
@@contemporaryartissue A professor of mine (in the distant past) said that entering the artworld was like building your house. You didn't want to live in a one room shack, so you should build a big house, or one that could be easily added on to. I've known artists who were pigeon-holed early in their career, but with time and imagination they were able to "add on to their house." It required them gradually introducing new ideas and materials alongside the thing that was expected.
Tracy Emin
Good points all! Much appreciation. One starts at the start hopefully a good one. It’s a long arduous journey.
Go for it! All my best, Julien
I have had the fortune of great professional success in another area, but success as an artist seems so elusive. Your advice for standing out is appreciated, I will keep going.
This is helpful advice, even for artists who don't try to sell their art. For instance, writing about your art can help you think more clearly about your subject matter and how you plan to depict it. As your writing progresses, you may think of additional layers or methods to use in the artwork itself. If nothing else, you have a framework that helps you focus.
I think it's useful to write down a notice about each piece, exactly the way a museum would.
The problem that I've had with writing about my art has something to do with the act of writing itself. It's just my opinion, of course, but it seems to me that writing too much about one's art is a bit of a two-edged sword. Visual art is inherently a different language and so it speaks to us in a non-verbal way. So, in my opinion, when many artists write about their work, the writings are executed in an indirect, confusing, and non-linear style that directly contradicts the tenets of good writing: expressing something directly, succinctly and clearly. I mean, I'm a visual artist, but was an English major in college and when I read most contemporary art writings, I'm completely lost. It's purposefully enigmatic, convoluted, and, my I say, pretentious. Sorry if I sound like a bit of a dick, but if you have to do too much "splaining" about your work, then maybe you should be a writer if the ideas behind the work are that complex, esoteric, remote, and personal.
Every artist is part of a story of art history. The writings are more so a snippet of where the art lands in context to the overall story.
Getting ideas and learning skills from paintings hung in galleries is just fine. The old saying just be you, works great while learning skills. The truth about great art is to communicate something to others. It came before writing as a simple way to communicate to others. The gimmicky art found in art shows today all over this world makes me a bit sad what artist and critics have stooped to. Art does not need to communicate a message as it did in it's first beginnings. Rather it needs to communicate emotions or anything others can connect to.
I hate to say this but so much of what I see in big gallery shows and top artists is painful to my eyes! Gaudy, horrible and simply reflecting the materialism and depravity of our times. What comes first? The culture or the art promoted by the elites? They may be more experts in degradation and mind control than in art.
You must only be looking at art by caucasian artists... Just sayin...
You brought up a key point regarding Instagram. The problem of being buried by art based on audience retention. The problem of gatekeepers vs the flood of art on the social platforms. It would be interesting to see a video that addresses this issue in depth.
I am a full time artist in South Africa and this was definitely some of the best advice I've ever come across. Thank you
Please can you make a video or write an article about how to use social media as an artist?
Dear Louise, absolutely! It is most certainly on our rather lengthy to-do list. Stay tuned!
Thank you so much@@contemporaryartissue
This is really really helpful, even tho I don't consider myself as much of an artist, I do appreciate arts in various forms and sometimes I do try and express myself through certain applications. However your advice has sparked of a train of thought that I feel has been more effective in encouragement than most mediums that I have been exploring in for inspiration. With this said, I would like to thank you for your multiple helpful suggestions and guidance. 🎯💋
Very thoughtfully put together video with a lot of ideas. I especially agree with and loved the suggestion, "Learn from the masters - visit galleries and museums." While visiting Louvre I was so happy to see so many school tours and school kids sitting and sketching and painting the masters. Looking forward to more videos!
It feels like today on social media, the content creation part is more important than what you're actually creating as an artist (painter in my case) and that's sad but we have to play the game... Evolve or die 😭
It is indeed a worrying tendency, however, we don't have to abandon our principles just for the followers and likes. This weekend, I'll be presenting a video on how to use Instagram in the best way possible. Feel free to stay tuned!
I work with large scale arches watercolor paper, i cant necessarily create my own paper, i mean i could but arches should be good for galleries right? Also, i tend to use less conventional mediums in my process as well
Then you're all good! As I mentioned, it is perfectly fine to work in a more conventional manner as well, and if you already use less conventional mediums, than you shouldn't worry too much about your surface. Go for it!
I have used Arches exclusively for 50 years. Basically all weights and surfaces. It is a pre-eminent paper. since the Renaissance actually. I use it everyday. I have developed a personal method of painting and assembly of pieces that leaves out having to frame and glaze the surface. and it protects and enhances the works. Love Arches.. What a gift to the discerning artist , drawer or watercolorist.
@@stevenp.6062 interesting, and I agree. Framing is problem for me since I’m relatively new to the gallery world. I’m working up to 60x60 so the framing world is a new problem I’ve encountered since usually I have a storage for my work. I’m trying to figure out some custom solutions and some places for the frames to be made since I can’t seem to find anywhere that sells that large for the type of frame I want.
@@contemporaryartissue Thank you!
These are nuggets of wisdom!! Thank you so much ❤🎉
Thankyou loving your videos. They are to the point, informative and real. Worth watching twice to take it all in.
It took me a few days to realize the impact of this video, Julien. After watching, all those other shiny distracting things melted away as I came back down to Earth. You are an artist whisperer, and from the looks of comments many felt the same. Thanks for the gift!
5:30 Yes the materials are accessible and abundant, but no one seems to know how to use them!!
You can do amazing effects with an old teeth brush for example. This cost you nothing.
My art is amazing it’s just that most people have bad taste
Are you sure it's amazing or are you just egotistical?
@@karlabritfeld7104 It's not nearly as good as mine, that's why we don't put each others art on our walls :) we're all egotistical and insufferable. And we all have impeccable taste.
Top art galleries often show junk. I would recommend studying old masters, even if they are old fashioned but all great art stem from masterpieces of the past. De Kooning was great because he understood Rubens even his art does not look like a Rubens.
I'm a classical music composer, but still your figurative-art considerations do apply also to music, and I believe to all art in general. Congratulations for the analysis. And thanks for stating clearly that there is good and bad art. Indeed. I'm sick and tired of the postmodernist BS claiming there is no good or bad, that behind success there is only power, and that everything is relative. Only mediocre people can make these claims.
I want to add a different opinion on this take. Once you start creating art from a perspective of focusing on what other people think, or what they will this you are going to be lost. Create what you want hownyou want. There is a range of people who buy and collect art for a different reason. I dont have one atylemof making art , my euvre is varied . Each peice is different from the other. I am in South Africa and I am one one the most prestigious collections. The so called art world will have you believe that there is only one way of making a living from your art. Piccaso did not have one style of making art 😏 he just made art. Not evrything je made was a masterpiece. Just create. Art that is made with honesty and dadication is shows. It does not nees to be explained. All the galleries in yhe world cannot contain all the greateat art. History also shows that the artist that did not care about what art should look like and follow these rules, were the artist that made it. So juat create.
I recommend this video. It correlates with my research since my undergrad years and sounds accurate to today's standards. It also explains what has always been the case when it comes to understanding the many variations of art, and your art compared to the art world as we know it.
Excellent content. Every point was well explained and absolutely necessary to take into consideration. Thanks for the share.
#4 How do you feel about the notion that explanation kills art, and so, one should not talk or write about their art?
Overexplaining things can often kill art indeed. However, you should think about your art, write about it, and talk about it. If there is nothing to say, what is there to see?
@@contemporaryartissue Having something to say doesn't necessarily require words. Can you not view art, understand art, without an accompanying explanation. If I have to explain it, why paint it?
I love making my art. Hate talking about it.
@@karlabritfeld7104 Right?! Even when I know what I'm trying to convey (it happens), I don't how to talk about it, don't want to, and don't see why I have to. And if this is what it takes to get into the high end art world, no thanks. As if that would happen anyway. 😆
@@contemporaryartissueI’m curious about this… so all the art needs to be intellectual art? Or like of artist obsessed about something?
What if I DO paint from nothing to go nowhere? I just paint layers of whatever is going on for me in the present moment? Yes I do curate aesthetically in some stages… but’s not planned. I will never be taken seriously? Or should I write a small text about stuff that’s in my head that day and then paint?
Or there’s only value in planned paintings? I struggle to understand this after watching the video!
Thanks for your insight!
Who was the painter who painted on books? That first blue landscape painting you showed. Thanks
I LOVE the work I create. I was educated in art, and I believe it to be good. But I struggle to get it taken seriously by gallery professionals or to make sales.
Feel free to browse through our videos and articles to find a solution. Wishing you all the best!
Where’s your work?
@@TFNE9426I have sold some, about 25 paintings, but most of it is in my home.
What you are saying makes perfect sense. Thanks.
Thank you for tuning in!
Time makes great wine, over time the best art usually rises to the top. If you are a professional artist you will soon see what works out in the market place. I do miss the days when there were art movements.
Great art definetly takes time. For some artists, it takes 5 years to achieve a high-quality level, others 15. Thank you for tuning in!
Is it a good idea to give some personal thoughts about an art serie on the homepage, instead of just showing the images ?
Thank you for sharing, great video.
I've seen incredibly more inspiring art on social medias that I've seen in galeries. Do I have to believe the giant canva with the Monopoly guy is high art because it's curated ? And if we all get our inspiration from the same places, aren't we gonna make the same filtered art ?
I follow your videos since a few months mow and they are really helpful and help me to do it in the art world. It is long path who requires a strong discipline but it really worth it. Whatt you said is true I don´t refer to social media concerning my art. I just use Instagram as an extension of my business card I don´t be an influencer but an artist and it is very important to notice this difference when it´s about social media.
So thank you very much fort this videos
I still don't understand what makes contemporary art. You mentioned the esthetics. But exactly what makes it time bound?
I'm a photographer. Some of my work is bound to my era because some elements didn't exist beforehand. Modern cars and trains and architecture for example. Or I go bush and photograph our bushland. The photographs could have been made more-or-less any time since photography was invented, but the subject matter is clearly Australian. Or, if I go down to the beach it might be from anywhere.
Love your seriousness and true desire to help artists find their oeuvre. Evolution thrives with experience, attention, and an individual vision.
The information is excellent. I just got confused about the last point. What did he mean by “linear?” And the cliché about “figurative and abstract?”
Does this mean not to incorporate the figurative and abstract in the same painting?
Btw. Joining Patreon for sure. Thank you for your channel !!!
Thank you for tuning in and your kind response!
Concerning the linear subject matter; beginner artists often try to produce a very confined, demarcated, and linear backstory in terms of the subject matter. Visual element A represents subject matter A and nothing else. A layered artwork has various visual elements referring to various layers and thus, a multitude of readings is offered. Don't have a singular or linear message. Have an artwork that is able to open up various messages-even messages or readings the artist was not aware of.
Concerning figuration and abstraction; you can definitely incorporate both in the same painting. We have been doing this since the Salon des Réfusés in 1863, followed by Impressionism and the Modernist development towards abstraction. That is exactly why stating your art merges figuration and abstraction is a cliché or irrelevant analysis of the subject matter, statement, or bio. Monet did it, Picasso did it, de Kooning did it, and so on, up to this very day. Yet, so many beginner artists or hobby artists will discuss this when theorizing their work or writing an artist statement.
Superbe that you're joining our CAI Patreon. I genuinely appreciate it! Stay in touch.
All my best,
Julien
@@contemporaryartissueYour explanations are always superb julien ,I can’t never thank you enough for what you’re doing!You are saving us from irrelevance!
@@contemporaryartissuehey. Thank you for the clarification.
Thank you for helping me understand better.
I think you make the most valid points.
I started the book you recommended. I’m half way through “Everything for art!” Great information. Especially when defining “Canon” artists.
I recommend your channel to any serious artists.
Thanks so much, amazing as all your videos, I believe strongly one artist just take steps to see all your videos and really listen to them and read your articles in website can have a great success!
Where are the best places to do an ma in fine art?
Hello Julien and Perrier!
Thank you for your art advice
"qui a du chien"! 🎨 🐾
My pleasure! Greetings from us both 🐶😁
Probably my favorite video so far!
Very good information. Make what you want or make what sells. If you are very, very lucky that will be the same thing.
Please define the concept of "natural demand" and what it implies for art appreciation?
I think authenticity is more important than searching for some novelty gimmick materials in order to stand out. You should be able to produce decent artwork without having to resort to scouring the local waste skip for a used mattress or other novelty material upon which you can paint your next 'masterpiece'.
One thing that has become cliched and tired subject matter is social justice-based work. I get enough propaganda from the media and clowns in my daily life. I value visually compelling artwork and don't care about any message it is conveying, which is usually eye-rolling and tired, it turns me off.
I'm not sold on there being this wiser group who gets to adjudicate "good" art. I'm reading a biography of Van Gogh, for example. Poor bloke sold only one canvas in his lifetime, was ridiculed by the establishment art world....if he'd listened to this video he may have given up! What a loss to the world that would have been. Another thought that springs to mind is a recent trend for what I would call political art. It's in all the great museums and galleries the moment for the messages rather than aesthetic appeal or other considerations. I find much of it tame, clichéd, iconographic (nothing wrong with that but I get the impression the artist is creating this style almost inadvertently). Hmm. I'm no expert but I do see over and over in life a feeling that someone up there or out there is better knowing and that all we should do is hit their expectations for a reward. Yet when I speak with real world artists their motivation wells from within, their work shines from their unique view on the world
Thanks for this video, it is really helpful. I am sure I fallen in to some of these mistakes so now there is something to consider going forward with my art practice.
Art is not about bad or good. Art is art, expression of human feeling and gratitude...so every art is right. What matters is an art could be uniquely teresting or not interesting so it is not about good or bad.
Hello, Thank you for these videos, they shed light on different aspects that I didn't find much online. The fact that you are speaking from experience is also a good perspective to consider.
I would like to ask if you can share your ideas for digital artists or video artists in creating their website or their approach to the art world. It seems to me that it's a little different from painters, sculptors, and other artists working with physical materials.
It seems to me that they are also categorized as contemporary art if I'm not mistaken.
thank you so much. What a great video! your are definitly a great content creator ;)
thank you for your videos!!!!
I'm an artist. I focus creat art, compose music for movies, commercials, television, and videos. I also write books. I'm also a photographer. I never create to be judged by anyone. I just create, because I love it. I see other people becoming famous for their work. I don't care about that fame. I see all art work as a beautiful creation. I can't find a favorite they are all amazing.
What do you think of Clement Greenberg’s famous essay “Avant-Garde and Kitsch”?
THANKS FOR A GREAT job.
please slow down a bit, some words are garbled
and please use a clip on mic.
It will catch your vocal CONSISTENTLY.
Thank you for watching and for your constructive feedback. I used to have a clip-on mic and upgraded to a RODE Videomic PRO (just out the shot). Have a great day!
Thanx !
that was so useful, ty!
Most modern art substitutes weird for quality, narrow isms for scope, and trendy for depth. It also refuses to change or even talk about progressive ideas in art like those that follow
Too many treat art as a marketing scheme. Modern art has become a trendy clique and the art now is mostly over promoted footnotes to greater art that was done 100 years ago. But art is too important to be reduced to a trendy clique.
Post-ism, is art for a new century, not a continuation of last century trends.
1 Mass Market Paintings like Prints. When any art form is mass marketed it enters a golden age. This has happened with books, records, and film. Let's add paintings. Most art is in storage in museum basements. Mass Marketing allows art to tour in copies and allows artists to make royalties on copies.
Why do you think the world gets so excited about a new great book, record, or film; but no one cares about a new great painting? All are mass produced except the painting.
2. End a Century of Isms. Dump the genres and formulas and let all kinds of art be a part of the art world.
3. Shift Emphasis From Trendy to Quality. Shift emphasis from the latest trendy art, to quality art in any style. Just because art is weird does not mean it is great art.
4. Free the Art From Museums and Galleries. Get the art out of the ivory elitist museum and gallery towers and back into the world. Have city art centers open to all artists. Make art that is relevant and communicates with people. Start with the first generation of artists online.
5. Postism is Part of a Bigger Revolution. Postism is part of the bigger art and media revolution out of Dallas, that includes art, music, lit, film, media, and a lot more.
6. Postism online: Online artists are the new wave of art. We had all the isms of last century. Now we have a free for all, of all kinds of artists, that are not sanctioned by any museum or gallery, displaying their work. Out of that comes the next wave and revolution of artists.
Last century the goal was to fit the ism. This century the goal is to do great art - no ism, no boundaries. Fractionalized art then, synchronized art now. Even calling something modern art is a type of ism that separates that art from the art of the past.
The 20th century was a century of experimentation in art. Now in the 21st we can choose from all those styles and / or start one of our own.
Then too if someone devises a way to charge and collect a penny per view on a webpage, that would allow any great artist to get money for their art and have a career without any middlemen.
Duchamp broke ground 100 years ago - but now his clones are just shoveling dirt. Weird art is easy, you put a strip of raw bacon across an expensive violin, but it's not good art.
Join the art revolution and pull the art world out of last century.
Musea since 1992.
Interpreting the dogs expressions:
1:20 enough already .get to the point
2:55 I'd rather be outside
3:30 who is gonna believe that
10:10 when is this gonna end
10:13 next chance I run for it
😂
😂😂😂
Thank you!
Success does not depend on who you know, but who you blow. The quality of the work is normally irrelevant to acceptance or sales.
Yet, there are artists who never leave their studio that sell like crazy simply because their work is irresistible. Good always prevails.
@@contemporaryartissue Not always. I can think of many bluechip artists whom are terrible painters. I was at the Metropolitan Museum of Art last week. After the Manet/Degas show I visited the contemporary galleries. I was appalled at the level of poor quality, which was especially apparent after the superlative genius that Manet and Degas had set. The Metropolitan dropped their high standards in favor of inclusion. In galleries, utter drivel is celebrated.
@@davidhunternyc1Maybe you just prefer more traditional art. Both Manet and Degas were ridiculed as bad inept painters by those who preferred the more traditional art of their own day.
@@tthomas184 Nope, this isn't the case. I prefer great art. For instance, I admire Francis Bacon, Neo Rauch, David Hammons, Jordan Wolfson, & Paul Pfeiffer, and many others. People fall back on this excuse, that either I'm too traditional in my "tastes" or that I'm anti-woke. Nope. I just want art to be great. There is very, very little great art. The 21st century work hanging at the Met, for the most part, was shite, both technically and in concept. Diversity comes at the expense of quality. Very little art will stand the test of time.
@@davidhunternyc1 Who doesn't prefer great art? None of the artists you name or admire are necessarily great artists, whose work will stand the test of time. We don't know who people a hundred years from now will favor. I think it was Edward Hopper who said, 'Most artists are forgotten 15 minutes after they die'. And obviously art is subjective. Better to say you don't like something then to simply dismiss it as shitte.
Listening to the guy is both amazing and frustrating. It is like complicating something simple, in my view. I love creating art. But I do not claim to know anything about art. I just like doing them, and feel happy about the creation. Chances are, there will be people who will see the happiness and satisfaction in that artwork, that they will have the need to own it. Frustrating ,specially that part where one has to create a layer of description about your art. I have read some that it is so profound that it feels like only the artist understands what they wrote.. or maybe I am just too stupid to understand it. In the end, I stop reading the rest of the description and just look at the art itself. and then end up not understanding the art as well. I guess thats was the reason I opted to read the artist's description. For me, an art, that drives me into the image and feel, and relate, and want to stare more, without any other explanation is a successful art. It maybe not successful financially, but I am one hundred percent sure that any artist would want to see their art hanging at a random stranger's wall. worthy to be part of their lives.
You are a gem. Many thanks!
4 reasons why Art 1 Art is neither good or bad. 2. Common sense is not the way or the gauge of artistic qualities.3 If you paint for cash, go for it. 4 if you dont sell work, go for it. 5 Art has no rules, only guide lines for certain aesthetic outcomes.
That's like saying there are no rules to playing a guitar good or bad and that anyone can be a musician, whether good or bad. There are objective truths in this reality. But most people cannot understand truth.
My compliments ! Finaly , somebody understanding the needs of an Artist to not give a BS story about their inspiration, but just be honnest about it. i just create out of pain , and sadness no hurt ….no art! Just me))
Cannot say thank you enough for these videos.
The pleasure is all mine! 🙌
Thank you so much.
Do you think it is possible to make good art with inexpensive materials?
thank you for your video, can you made English subtitle on video ?
Para nada de acuerdo con el punto 3. Buscar nuevos materiales. Eso es esencial? Renoir, Courbet, Delacroix, Degas… todos pintaban sobre lienzo, no es eso lo que los diferencia. Punto de vista muy superficial que se afirma como una ley. Hacer obras con tapas de Yogurt no lo convierte en algo relevante, ni pintar sobre espaldas de iguana. O si?
Which contemporary artists are covering interesting subject matter? Is the cliché or frequent coverage of emotions redundant, or are there contemporary artists making progress here?
thank you for creating this.
Brilliant 👏👏👏👏
thanks!
The pleasure is all mine!
Expression your artist expression comes from your soul imagination vision nobody can do or see it the way that you do. Unique as fingerptints.
I paint with the intent to satisfy my inner needs. I don’t care about people’s taste or preferences. My objective is to improve and to discover my style. Painting is a meeting with my irrational thoughts. That’s it.
The art world is going down the drain. A bit like the music industry. Mainstream is dead.
I came to feeling I have bad art but it looks like it's not (or at least has potential) according to your statement
So many brilliant songwriters and musicians are not world famous yet Taylor Swift with her mediocre writing, even though hard working, is famous billionaire. Modern art took a lot of inspiration from kids’ art, folk and indigenous art, genius of African masks became famous only through Picasso and Modigliani; Art Brut then extended it to art of mentally ill and self taught outsiders, stating their works are created from solitude and from pure and authentic creative impulses - where the worries of competition, acclaim and social promotion do not interfere, and because of these very facts, their art is more precious than the productions of professions. I personally think we should have permanent galleries of kids’ art and huge Outsider Art/Art Brut galleries as well. The best quote I think about now is the one from famous art house director Werner Herzog, talking about the art of film: ‘Academia is the death of cinema. It is the very opposite of passion. Film is not the art of scholars, but of illiterates’.
Alles richtig gesagt. 👍
Thank you 🙏🙌
i saw so many exhibition and bottom line is that people whho exhibit are bad. I will not call them artist. they just decided to draw paint or sculpt and they call themself artist. they have nerve to show their crap
If you want to provoke conversation, then you need to expand on your views. Saying it's crap doesn't make it so.
Good perspectives here, but see how he glosses over contacts/ gatekeepers of the ( highly corrupt ) art world at the very beginning.
Even unique style or incredible talent is no guarantee of success at all.
"Subjective" is the word. All art is determined "good" or "bad" by a small group of people who usually have a vested interest, that is the truth of it. That small group of people pay huge amounts of money, persuaded to do so by other vested interests, as an investment when a great many of these "Masterpieces" would not be hung in the toilet by the vast majority of the populace and the answer to them is that they are 'Ignorant', which is oh so convenient. Their is a hierarchy in play which decides which artists will receive all the benefits thus leaving the remainder with very little to share between them. This same structure also applies to music, literature etc. with the "popularity" of any decided by the amount of money and, in music, airplay it is given. On top of all that there is the "old school " network to contend with when at the same time those "old schools" are churning out clone after clone with the promise of success; in a few cases it works but not for the majority. The absolute bottom line is, "Does your face fit?". If it does there may be an opportunity for advancement but if it doesn't the barriers are almost insurmountable. There are, in my humble opinion, only a few rules. 1. Forget about what you are being told and make the art you want to make. 2. Practice your art until you develop your own, unique style. 3. Practice some more, there is no alternative to practice. 4. Make an attempt to say something that others may understand or find interesting. 5. Expect nothing and you will never be disappointed. Of course every artist in all the arts wants to be recognised but very few will gain any status but there are many who have designed a product to tell you how and, of course, they make money. In the present time "Mediocrity Rules, OK" therefore the choice is to join the trend or be true to yourself. While you are contemplating your path let me tell you I am an artist and a collector of other people's work and the amount of 'art' I come across in charity shops is astounding in the fact their only value is in the stretcher frame. There are two reasons for this; either the artist found the practice too laborious or their work is merely one of a million others and are, therefore, boring. The worst thing, I believe, for any artist to be called is "Boring".
i thing there is no bad artwork , example the scream painting is bad ? the painting sold with price $119.9 million, and kids painting or drawing always make their parent smile. So in my opinion its depend for what the artwork for, Game industries or movie? so its depend
The Scream by Edvard Munch is one of the greatest pieces of Modern Art and was ahead of its time. But you're absolutely right, it all depends on the context, industry, or realm of the art world. On this channel, we predominantly discuss career advice for artists who pursue success in the highest realms of the art world (gallery circuit, museums, etc.)
your dog is adorable!
I stretch my own canvases. Next stage is to mix pigments and have my own unique colour in oil.
Sounds great, go for it!
This "advice" has nothing to do with art and is solely focused on the elite gallery business. The modern art scene has become a laughingstock because of this outlook. You are trapped in the same cycle of bad influence that you criticize. However, because of the comforting effect of the money involved, no genuine reflection or change is likely to happen anytime soon.
That cover painting is a £30,000.00 modern masterpiece in London 😂
It's great in its own right! I saw it for the first time via the Museum of Bad Art. Thank you for tuning in btw!
I actually like the abstract-ness of the video thumbnail picture. Not bad at all, it's more Naïve Art.
Naive Art is only good in the mind of those that are naive.
@@jnorth1000 Whatever. Do a Naïve Art search and I bet those artists are richer than you'll ever be, inside and out.
Good for them. God bless them. I just gave you my thoughts on Naive Art. You won't ever improve your artwork if it's never criticized. I make good money from my artwork BTW. So you are not right as rain. @@riteasrain
I too love naive art . The ambiguity of an odd looking face or a crooked smile always appeals