Does a Worldwide Recession Affect People Being Aware Of Art?

First of all, does the current recession undermine people's ability to enjoy/understand Art not just because they cannot afford to buy it, but also because it is not advertised as much as other mediums on buses and billboards?

I once did a series of Photoshop assignment images imagining famous artworks "remade" by Michael Bay, the theory behind it being, if Michael Bay would find it easier to make money remaking artworks instead of movies, he'd totes do it. The results of trying to imagine this included the Bad Boys being put into The Persistence of Memory with a speech bubble of Martin Lawrence saying "Shit just got SURREAL", into his phone thing.

But yeah, do you think the reason why Art is such a difficult medium to get into, is because unlike other mediums like books, music recording L Ps and C Ds, and DV Ds and Blu Rays of movies, it is incredibly difficult to own a famous artwork by Picasso or anybody like Andy Warhol?

Do you think that if Art cost less than it does at Sotheby's, and it was of sufficient quality/value, people would buy it for their homes again like they used to in the 19th Century? Or do you think that the contemporary art scene thrives on the niche appeal to drive up prices and value of contemporary artwork?

Certainly there are great novels and short stories in the book world, classical pieces that still get listened to today in the homes and cars of many, and auteur cinema gets another lease on life from home video because many local theaters in some areas don't get to play these movies again after initial release. These copies of these works encourage people to buy them and use them again and again for their amusement, but the Art world doesn't seem to have the same business model.

Why do you think this is, and do you think the Recession is decreasing people's joy in searching out peculiar and fun mediums of entertainment because they cannot afford it or the market for that entertainment in their isolated area is deemed too small and thus not everybody who wants it can afford a limited release copy of it?

First, of all, you need to clarify what you mean by 'art'. You mean 'visual arts', don't you? 'Art' in broader definitions is not a medium.

Anyway, I think that the more money people have, the easier it is for them to get into art (be it visual arts or art in general) because they have time and money for this. Also, the recession is bad for artists - you don't have time to create art if you have two jobs

Not to mention theres less people buying artworks, so less chance of making your primary career being an artist.

Art collecting is also a sort of luxury.

It'd be like if whenever you want to read a classic book, you pay millions for a copy from the original print run.

Yes. Everyone tells you that you should work middle management or shovel coal instead of living your dreams. Politicians, teachers, parents and other authority make sure to destroy your dreams by cutting programs and saying mean things to you.

As a result, you have to leave that place to live your dream.

Art is never first in the needs of world humanity. Arts and entertainment is not one of the major schools of education in a curriculum. "Regular" people who are not artists by trade view art as a hobby that others take up in the meantime while they get a "real job".

The world will always need doctors, politicians, historians, scientists, lawyers, etc. They DO NOT need any more artists.

Add the recession, which forces people to cut on unnecessary spending on stuff they do not need.

Yes and no. If you're talking about stuff like painting, sculpting, drawing, etc. then yes, you'd be right. However, things like dancing and music are obstinately "art" and people consider those valid career options and still spend money on going to movies/ buying music/ etc.

edited 26th Jun '11 9:15:27 AM by DrunkGirlfriend

Which is why I continuously contemplate why I chose visual arts as a career and know absolutely nothing audio-related.

There's still some school offering its art classes during commercials.

And some people DO buy art. Go to a fantasy, comics, or gaming convention, you will see people buying art.

I'm actually kind of scared, going into near the end of my education in 3D Animation, and this economy showing no sign of recovery might make finding a job impossible.

Hell I cant even find a SUMMER JOB.

At least you're going into a type of animation that the biggest studios are interested in now.

Yeah, luckily, but the problem is ALOT of people are too.

So I just gotta hope.

I work in incredibly low budget mediums considering (Writing, Photography) to the extent that Kevin Smith would be envious of how much I can get out of such a little budget.

But it still doesn't change the idea in my head that I'm considered by society as useless to the economy I'm in because I'm not linked to the resources industry.

As far as I'm concerned, if you're making money by selling your works to the public, whether directly or indirectly (on postcards, as illustration in books/comics/card games/ video games), you're not "useless".

If you're not making any money, then either nobody really needs your work (because there's aleady a lot of offer and not a lot of demand in the niche you're targeting), or someone does and you just need to find them (through better marketing, looking around more, etc.)

It's weird, the Australian side of the art world compared to the American one. We are a culture that doesn't prize art that much (generalisation) but the ones who do treasure culture tend to succeed locally in a way they wouldn't be able to if they moved to New York.

Yeah. I mainly thought I was doomed because I'd heard how you guys over in America were doing in the art world. I feel sad for you guys, because ANZUS treaty withstanding, people like you over in the States helped me out in my dark night of the soul three years ago where I was starting to crack for numerous reasons.

TBH, art in the classical sense has always been something of a luxury; the average person has never felt much of a need to buy the type of art you hang on your wall unless they're looking for wall decorations.

That doesn't mean art doesn't get appreciated, though; it just means it gets appreciated in different forms. And people can still observe classical art by going to museums and the like.

Not that I don't agree that it's ridiculously hard to make a living off art, but as has been pointed out, the same is true of most creative arts really. Musicians and writers don't have much luck either, aside from the lucky people who make it really big.

To live from your art you need to be both very lucky and, preferably, very good. Remember, many great artists are appreciated only after they die. Sad but true.

Still, it is possible to make art while having an other job. Many non-famous musicians do it.