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The popular Twitter thread @ forexposure.txt often presents people's arguments about why they should not pay artists, ranging from "not all artists do it for financial gain" to "I did not steal it, it was on the Internet. "Still, it was surprising to see billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk make the same kinds of arguments when confronted on Twitter by Lisa Prank, aka Robin Edwards – daughter of Evergreen potter Tom Edwards, whose Wallyware ceramics have made their way around A mug in particular, showing a unicorn farting into a tube and feeding an electric car, was found in Musk's possession, and he tweeted about it in February 2017, calling him " favorite cup. "
After a copy of Edwards The work ended on the Tesla notebook as a clear part of the corporate brand, Edwards' lawyer wrote an unbelievably sweet letter to Musk and Tesla … which was ignored until Lisa Prank's tweet.Musk's response, since cleared, was a sadly typical response to the claim for compensation. an artist: "He can ask for money if he wants it but it's a bit lame. "
Is there another profession? is considered "a little lame"?
Unfortunately, Musk is not alone here: Billionaires, including Oprah, regularly ask artists to work for free, just like the art world itself. In fact, everyone from the art runs to the free work of artists and the lie that exposure is a form of valuable gain. Galleries pay nothing for their inventory; artists are all at risk of spending time and money on work that they sell or not, and that they entrust to people who can and can not pay for it.
A screenshot of the now deleted tweet of Elon Musk.
Lauri Lynnxe Murphy
And when you see the work of an artist in a museum or art center, a seemingly higher place, there is no guarantee that the Artist was paid in this case either: It is trivial for a curator to ask an artist to work specifically for an exhibition with no payment offered, and the honor is meant to be enough, no matter how long or money it takes to create this job. In fact, at the Whitney Biennial – one of the greatest achievements of an American artist on a resume: inclusion in a revered New York institution, the Whitney Museum of American Art – most of the artists are not paid, with the honor of inclusion being considered a sufficient payment.
That is why WAGE – Working Artists and Greater Economy – was founded in 2008: offering certification to organizations that have followed its payment guidelines and promised to pay artists fairly. Up to now, 56 institutions have signed and obtained WAGE certification, including the Denver Art Students League and Black Cube (though, notably, none of the other museums or art centers in Colorado) . A poll conducted in 2012 by the militant group of 1,000 artists in New York found that 58% of them received no compensation when they presented their work to local not-for-profit organizations, not even a compensation for them. shipping cost. Overall, the majority of institutions in the United States simply do not have a line item for "artist payment" in their budgets, no matter how large these budgets. It does not matter that many of these institutions would not exist without artists; nobody suggests that the directors are not paid, is not it?
Many people have the misconception that artists earn millions because they hear outrageous totals from auctions and a little more about the art world on the news. But not only are these auction totals usually for dead artists, but they only make money for the collector and the auction house; Outside of California, which promulgated the California Resale Royalties Act, there are no "royalties" that accrue to artists for their work. So even if the work of a living artist is selling at a seemingly outrageous price at auction, it is likely that the artist has not seen a dime of this profit and has not received than the much lower price for which the work was sold. By Lauri Lynnxe Murphy, used found materials to comment on the current construction boom in Denver. “/>
'Fool's Gold', by Lauri Lynnxe Murphy, used found materials to comment on the current construction boom of Denver
On the other side of this assumption is the l & # 39; Another popular misconception of the artist as a lonely genius hungry in an attic. In this caricature, the artist needs struggle; in a gross betrayal of all that is known to human nature, the struggle is supposed to improve the work of the artist. Perhaps this fabrication makes those who benefit from the creative work of people feel better about themselves; instead, it should be a testament to the resilience and obsession of most artists: we create the MALTA struggle, not because of it. Most artists take day jobs to survive, and manage to create after leaving work and taking care of their family and normal tasks; doing art is a commitment akin to a second full-time job. The fact that artists are able to create despite poverty and day jobs is not an argument that the fight makes us better. If anything, one wonders how much each artist could be better with more time and energy to devote to his craft.
It is often said that "Artists do it for love! They should not want money!" No matter how much "love" you have for what you do, you have to put have food on the table and keep an increasingly expensive roof over your head. This argument is used as an excuse to keep poor teachers, too. In fact, there is a direct inverse relationship between the value of work and its price, thanks to the grotesque exploitation of people's passion and goodwill.
"Artists entertain all day – does a player or a mountain biker expect to be paid for his hobby?"
Here is another one we hear: "Artists are having fun all day, gamers or mountain bikers waiting to be paid for their hobby?" to be an artist is only one thing: the work.We expect artists to be "creative entrepreneurs" now – this second word is about business, not pleasure. Successful artists spend less than 50% of their time working to make art; Artists must carry multiple roles in their practice: writing proposals and statements, bookkeeping, relationship management with customers, organizing crating and shipping, and a whole range of other fun activities.Not to mention sweep the floor and replenish supplies – few artists have employees to help with the chore.
Not to say the obvious, but the supply s art, musical equipment and tools of any creative trade require a considerable commitment. Like the time needed to become good enough for someone you pay to have "fun" creation – which boasted 10,000 hours quoted by Malcolm Gladwell. Add to that the expense of a college degree, a studio (with the crazy rents of Denver, often an impossibility for many artists) and the myriad of fees that artists have to pay for their work to be considered for many opportunities. could become a vocation that only wealthy elites can afford.
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Speaking of these wealthy elites, they are typically those who enjoy the work of an artist – money and fame fuel the world of art, not the artists on whose backs it is built. This also applies to gentrification: even though artists are often accused of changing neighborhoods, we are not more the beneficiaries of these changes than the long-term residents with whom we are displaced. While on the move, we are helping promoters commercialize their "hipness", our work on the walls of the neighborhoods we used to live in, attracting wealthy young people who desperately want to be considered cool at any cost and swell portfolios of developers. our city is redone in a luxury brand.
But of course, artists should be happy to be paid with "exposure", is not it? This is the logic that is imposed on us again and again, by everything from start-ups to restaurants looking for scenery, offering the magic of eyeballs in exchange for our work. In the era of the Internet, this notion becomes even more laughable because it also exposes us to more potential theft. One of the biggest scams in the game of the show comes in the form of charity auctions, to which artists are regularly invited to contribute. Although affluent participants can become potential customers, their names are almost never shared with donor artists, who are usually kept out of the classy event. In fact, artists are not even entitled to a tax deduction from this arrangement. A collector could donate a purchased artwork and deduct the full value of his taxes as a gift, but artists are only allowed to deduct the material for the gift, not even their job.
And then there is the myriad of "contests" and offers to "work on specifications" – in other words, to put several hours to create something that someone can or does not want not, and can pay or not. Everyone from Eminem and John Oates to the British Sainsbury grocery chain is offering this dubious exploitation opportunity, where a "lucky" winner is chosen from among hundreds of hard-working hopes for a undervalued price set and this magical 'show'. the whole profession while wasting artists' time by creating things that may never see the light of day, and that may even belong to the company organizing the contest.
New unicorn fart Wallyware.
Courtesy of Tom Edwards
There are many ways to support artists who are part of your local economy, beyond reading art festivals and tasting in the galleries on the first Friday. Artists can provide a variety of services outside the decoration of your walls. For example, the next time your company decides to use an illustration or photo, think about how you could spend the same amount to support a member of your community and, in exchange, create a unique brand that will distinguish your company. Many artists have Patreon accounts so their fans can help support their work, and almost all artists and galleries are willing to take orders or allow people to pay for works of art on a payment plan. Culture is what shapes a city, and in a city that is losing its creations at an alarming rate, this little support could make the difference between someone who simply survives and someone who thrives.
Can you think of another profession where you assume that the person providing the service does not need to be paid? Do you expect your mechanic to repair your car for "love", even if it was probably the motivation of the mechanic to choose this career path? Would you your job for free no matter what it is? And if so, do you think that your owner would accept a payment exhibition?
The world needs art, more than ever before. If you doubt the power of art, imagine what the world would look like without it.
Pay now, Elon.
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