When people are asked about their preferences in music the responses are immediate and confident. People will tell you they like jazz, classical or rock and roll or whatever. But ask the same people about their preferences in visual art and often the response is laced with hesitation and discomfort, even defensive such as 'I don't know anything about art but I know what I like.' The sense is that of insecurity in front of objects that are often expensive and supposedly meaningful but that they don't don't fully comprehend. As a result of the pubic's intimidation of visual art and insecurity about their beliefs and feelings about it, a power structure has developed within the art world comprised of intermediaries whom we have come to depend on as sources of truth. We actually believe that good art can only be determined by the judgements and decisions of art dealers, critics, curators, academics, and art administrators. Unfortunately many people in the art world believe this myth, including the artists. If members of the public were self confident about their preferences in art, the strength of this meaningless power structure would diffuse. For example. art dealers would be seen as sales personnel, which is their real occupation versus the powerful and influential status they now have. If the general pubic were confidently aware of what they liked and not influenced by what they are told to like, arts related professions would be recognized as occupations that were created around artists, and not as it so often seems, the other way around. Artists provide thousands of non artists with jobs, yet more non artists than artists make a living from art and non artists make more money than artists....Art and the creative artists are what it's all about isn't it!
The painting above is by Pablo Guzman.
The painting above is by Pablo Guzman.
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