Getting Down To Business

When there are more people in the room sporting suits than the speakers, you know it’s no ordinary art lecture. That is what we encountered when attending The Business of Art, at the Wharton School of Business, presented by the ICA, featuring two of the biggest names in the art world today. Jeffrey Deitch, gallery owner, advisor, and writer, and Jerry Saltz, art critic for New York magazine and formerly of The Village Voice had a conversation about art, money, and what it means to us. Melissa McFeeters and I decided, what better way to write on a conversation than to have a conversation ourselves.

Kati Gegenheimer: I keep looking at my note on what Jerry Saltz said about MOMA. He said, "MOMA is only giving us mountain tops. You have to see the whole range."
Melissa McFeeters: Oh I LOVED that. The exact quote was "If you only see the mountain tops, you'll never know how tall they are," which makes me want to cry, it’s so dead-on.
K: I thought that was so true, I wanted to give him a high-five. I always think about those books that are like...coffee table books with like one page per well-known artist.
M: Oh yeah, The Art Book?
K: Yeah. Well that book seems like art is so simple and easy to access because you're just seeing so many major art pieces thrown together, but you don't see the other 100 pieces each artist made to get to that point.
M: And it sums up like 20,000 years of art in like 200 pages.
K: I guess museums, like MOMA, are also this summary, which is strange to think about since, as we were saying before museums seem so grand and all knowing. Which also brings me to when Saltz and Deitch were talking about how you can't go to a museum and get a feel for the art world from the 1980's to the present because it's all so wrapped up in the auction houses.
M: You have to think of the artists in museums as figureheads of movements.
K: I would say the most interesting thing to me, that I certainly didn't realize, is how priced out the art market is and how museums can't even afford to buy a piece anymore due to the control the auction houses have over the art world.
M: I know, I had no idea. I guess we've grown up thinking that museums are these indestructible giants, when really they face funding problems too. Which means that museums will only have lesser-known, (perhaps mediocre), affordable works that don’t “summarize” anything. How many people are going to go through those museums thinking that those works are the pinnacle of what was created that year? Not that affordable art is always mediocre.
K: I don't think that money is bad for art, but as an artist I obviously believe in art as a form first and foremost as opposed to an investment, as that one business student was so interested in it as.
M: That was insane. It’s unfair how many people wouldn't even try to look at unknown artists work because no one paid $10 million dollars for it.
K: That is what makes me really uncomfortable, is the truth of the art world that only say, ten people do "make it," do get the attention, and I’m sure that there are at least another ten noteworthy artists that could've been in the same position if they were in the right place at the right time, met the right people, etc. I think now for artists it's easier to get exposure with the internet, things like that, but there's a difference between being an artist and making a living at what you love to do, and being an artist that is trying to get attention when the machine just isn't working for them.
M: That’s true, but then I feel like maybe artists have a hard time marketing themselves in a way that doesn't sacrifice their art, but still works enough to make some money.
K: Do you feel like you have more insight on that as a graphic designer, since graphic design is more business oriented and product oriented.
M: Totally. Well, no, I mean I don't have the design world figured out.
K: I was thinking about that when they were talking about the artist as a product, and how concise and edited graphic design portfolios seem in order to show exactly who you are, and what you specialize in doing.
M: It would be nice if things just worked out in the art world, where talented artists make money no matter what, but nothing on this planet works that way. You can be a great designer, but if you don’t try to make connections and get yourself out there, no one’s going to pluck you out from in front of your computer and give you a job at The New Yorker. The same goes with artists, but the difference is the personal connection, and being able to achieve a balance. But I think you have to have some kind of strategy and game plan, (which doesn't have to sacrifice anything), otherwise you're just throwing yourself to the wind.
K: I agree with that. I don't think you're going to get anywhere money-wise if you are just going to sit in your studio and work and not market yourself in one way or another. It's important to have some sort of plan to promote yourself.
M: But with some people its like "marketing" is a bad word.
K: Well yeah, because as an "artist" you're not supposed to be interested in profit, you're only supposed to be interested in the art of making. I think that's this idyllic, romanticized idea of what an artist is, and I don't think it's very reasonable or profitable.
M: You can make money and help support yourself with art without making wild profits though, I think.
K: Yeah, I think so too. It's how everyone wants to do it, so I mean, you can also not make money at all and if you're happy with that, well, that's another option and that’s fine.
M: And like you said, it’s not money that’s bad for art, its people who are abusing the gallery/auction system who really twist the art world into a different reality.
K: What Jeffrey Deitch said about how the “nemesis” is the person who seems sincere, but takes advantage of the gallery and sells work out to auctions rather than appreciate it, really made me think, “okay, so they are in it for the love of art, the relationships it can make.”
I was really sincerely impressed when Deitch was talking about how "selling is not like speed dating, it's like developing a relationship." I thought that was really lovely, because I have no idea if selling art is like selling shoes at Macy’s or selling stocks at the stock market. I had no idea if galleries still cared. I think it's really nice that at least Deitch's gallery, Deitch Projects in New York, is still looking to build relationships with collectors who want art that they can love and live with and not just sell out and use as a commodity.
M: You know, I felt the same way about him. Even after his market-speak at the beginning, by the end I did feel like he cared, and I trusted him. However, I listened in on a conversation at an opening Friday night, and apparently not everyone feels the same way. Some people came away from that lecture convinced that Deitch was full of shit.
K: Really? I felt like we were all on the same team, which I didn't expect, him being a business man who went to Harvard for his MBA. I thought he was genuine, maybe I am a bad judge of character, or just naive.
M: Yeah, his response to the question of regarding art just being sold and traded like baseball cards...some would say he wasn't upset about it being sold to a dealer who didn't care, he was upset because he got gypped out of a lot of money that could have been his. Conversely, Saltz also made the promise that if you keep working, you will be successful. That goes back to my whole thing about being able to market yourself.
K: Yeah, Saltz pretty much guaranteed that if you continue to work at something for the next ten years, you will be successful at it. I totally believe in that, and I’d like to take him up on that challenge. Deitch said, "Someone with a vision can start with nothing." He also said, "Great galleries are built out of nothing." I feel like that’s something that we often forget, it’s a really hopeful and inspiring reminder that we really can do anything.
M: That’s why Philadelphia has so much promise, it’s a blank slate.
K: Yes, and Philadelphia is exciting in that way, and everyone can make galleries the way they want them, and show who they want to show rather than have the art worlds' opinion breathing down their neck. Deitch said, "Everyone can do it their way," when talking about the art world, and I feel like Philadelphia certainly does that.
M: So I guess what I'd like to know, in terms of Philadelphia is how much money does a gallery need to sustain itself, and how can they get that? Because as far as I've heard, most places have to shut down because of lack of money.
K: I mean it seems to me that the surviving galleries seem to be co-op galleries, like Nexus, which is one of the oldest co-ops in Philly, where the artists sustain the gallery and the gallery shows the artists.
M: At the end of the day, I think local artists should think about how the art world that we're directly affected by, in Philadelphia, can be sustained without being sucked into the New York, capitalistic sensibility. Did you read the article in the Inquirer, about how artists are moving to Philadelphia specifically because it can offer many things that New York can’t? [Full Article]
K: Yeah, I did.
M: I found it interesting because on Friday night at the Flux show I talked to a friend for awhile, and he said that he's itching to get out of Philadelphia because its "stagnant.” But then an article like that comes out, and its like, wait, Philadelphia is the ideal place right now.
K: What Saltz said about, "If you build it they will come," seemed so Philadelphia to me. I feel like the Philadelphia art scene is all about being for artists, by artists.
M: I think one major thing that Philadelphia doesn’t have going for it, and lots of people would agree, is that it’s too spread out. It’s impossible and annoying to get to more than two openings on one First Friday.
K: It seems like most galleries that are showing the more exciting, challenging work, were just made by artists looking to show work, and then, as Saltz and Deitch were saying, they had immediate credibility with the art community and were able to attract quality artists.
M: Yeah, and there's no lack of people willing to open galleries like that.
K: At least every artist I've met in Philadelphia is so excited about making and sharing their work, and I feel like what is lacking in big money and big dealers in Philadelphia is made up for tenfold in genuine interest and enthusiasm by the artists.
M: Exactly.
K: …And I think if anything, Philadelphia artists/galleries do have, or are developing credibility, because as far as I can tell, most people aren't in it for the money at all.
M: But all the enthusiasm in the world won't pay for a gallery's rent in a decent location every month.
K: Yeah, so then do we compromise money for the homegrown love of art. I don't think money is bad, but do you think Philadelphia would rather the big money stay in New York so that we can foster this community that is able to grow in Philadelphia? It is such a balancing act.
M: I know!
K: And from the model in New York it seems very off-balance.
M: New York is warped in regards to EVERY facet of life, why would art be any different?
K: That's true. “Go big or go home.”
M: Go big or go to Philadelphia!

[Kati Gegenheimer is an artist living and working in Philadelphia, as well as a staff writer for the FunnelBlog. Melissa McFeeters is a graphic designer, who lives and works in Philadelphia, and is the creative director at Funnel Pages.]



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Project Basho-Onward '08

by Darla Jackson
Project Basho - Onward '08
January 10-February 24, 2008

Onward '08, an exhibition on view at Project Basho through February 24th, features the work of 57 emerging artists. This was the first show I've seen at the photography resource center located in Kensington and after getting over the disbelief of its location ("It can't be there...there's nothing right there!"), it turned out to be the perfect introduction to the space, with this exhibition really showcasing the broad range of possibilities that photography has to offer. There was a wide variety of work in every aspect, from processes to subject matter...even the framing techniques were varied. Juror Andrea Modica really did a nice job giving us a lot of things to look at without feeling overwhelmed.

Meg Birnbaum, Sheep in hoods, inkjet print, 10.25" x 10.25"

I personally found myself connecting most often with the photographs that seemed like the artist was communicating not only visually but emotionally with the viewer. One piece that really felt this way for me was Sheep in hoods, an inkjet print by Meg Birnbaum. The sheep, usually submissive animals, felt more like bizarre executioners as they gazed out from under their hoods. The vignette around the photo adds to the mystery of the piece, as if maybe the viewer is obscured from their line of sight but they can sense that someone is there watching them.

Chris Vivier, The weight of days, inkjet print, 15" x 15"

Another image with this effect for me was The weight of days, an inkjet print by Chris Vivier. The piece very simply and very beautifully shows the effect of burden and time, using the worn down arm of an armchair. The chair reads as very human to me and I found myself really relating to it, despite the fact that it was, in fact, a chair.

Jessica Roberts, Before the coming, Brian, inkjet print, 24" x 17"

A nearby photograph that also caught my attention was Before the coming, Brian, an inkjet print by Jessica Roberts. The quality of light in this photograph made this image of a young man in a room with peeling, graffitied walls a really beautiful and sensitive piece. The pose, the bare mattress and the setting all raise questions of his place in this awkward stage of life.

Laura Graham, The Tea Party, inkjet print

The Tea Party, an ink jet print by Laura Graham which is framed in a weathered old window frame gives the impression that the viewer is peering into the window of a bizarre place where the animals host secret tea parties. Graham builds the sets herself and orchestrates the characters, forming strange, yet beautiful scenarios. She usually works in black and white but I think the use color in this piece really allowed the viewer to see all the details she painstakingly tended to.

There are so many more wonderful pieces in this exhibition that it is definitely worth the trip to Kensington. Gallery hours are Monday - Friday 5:30 - 10:30 pm and Sunday 12 - 10 pm. (Don't be fooled if the roll down gate is closed during gallery hours. Just knock on the door and someone will come let you in.) If you can't make it there, at least check out their web Gallery for the show here.

Program director Tsuyoshi Ito is doing a great job and I'm really looking forward to seeing what comes next. Welcome to the neighborhood Project Basho!

[Darla Jackson is an artist living and working in Philadelphia, as well as a member of The Other Woman Collective]


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Funnel Pages Extreme Website Makeover!

Hello my future friend!

Here at the FP, we have been working on a new website layout, which includes the blog. If you have any thoughts or ideas, in terms of things you would like to see more of, including pictures, let us know. We want to make this a great place to be, so the more you feed us your thoughts, the more we can grow to that.


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Look! as reviewed by Nike Desis

Landmarks Contemporary Projects
Presents PIMA Group: LOOK!
Performances February 1-3, 2008 @ Powel House Museum

The Philadelphia Society for Preservation of Landmarks apparently does as it’s title suggests and then some. In 2006 they introduced a program called the Landmarks Contemporary Projects. Which sounds really cool. C’mon they “explore new conceptual territories, create new collaborations and make its houses relevant to today’s audiences.”

The program I attended was a night performance of the Philadelphia based non-profit group PIMA at the Powel House, a historic house museum in Olde City.

There seems to be a sterility associated with historical landmarks. But, these were and are houses filled with people and narratives. Historical things and places are usually detached from their original purposes as a part of real and everyday life so it’s a common affliction of landmarks to be presented in a static far removed way. Timelines and stories and connections are ever changing.

Look! certainly explored the static sense of museum atmosphere and there was a direct representation of static in some of the dancers more spastic movements, in the live dj-ing of cranky crunchy sounds, and in fuzzy projections. These static-y visual stuffs are also paradoxically full of movement, digital technology, and a progression of time - through the pixilated recreation of scenes from moments before, thrown sound, and with muttered whispery phrases by the dancers into your face/ear. These were especially successful effects for contemplating a dynamic sense of the past. Like the program says: “By activating empty spaces around the house- spaces that represent centuries of life, work, decay and rebirth-PIMA provides audience with a rare opportunity to link the past with contemporary experience. They are explorers in a space that is at once inviting and distant trying to make sense of a site through the haze of time.”

So, in thinking about the whole package, it was obvious I was seeing some contemporary work- dance, bright tights, and mannequins as markers among others- but the history of the house itself receded into the background. Intellectually I understood the idea of doing a new and multi media performance in specific site, but as a visual piece I perhaps wanted it to be a little more transgressive than it was. What was it about the Powel House itself that I needed to know about? It wasn’t clear. But then again, maybe it was enough to have just been there for an event other than a stuffy house tour. Did I expect to come away with a better understanding of antique furniture? No. So, I guess I appreciated the building as a vessel for a new art work, which already moved me into a new direction of experiencing a house like the Powel House.

As for the actual choreography of the dance, there were some wonderful movement moments that I latched onto. I was interested in the dramatic scenes where all the dancers reconvened and marched up and down the stairs. Fast movements in a dark, intimate bedroom in front of a mirror and a prop fire were also memorable. Without neglecting the audience, the dancers would also, for example, finish a dining room ditty and slowly, while looking you in the eye, close the door behind her and leave you totally, awkwardly alone in a room. In the moments where when I found the movement less interesting I could easily go to another part of the house and see what was going on in there.

The last time I was in a historic mansion, I happened to have some freedom during the house’s off hours and I ran through the infinite rooms and staircases turning lights on and off, opening and closing doors, glancing or contemplating, and hearing creepy sounds where there weren’t any. I had a surreal pleasure of being in a place of immeasurable monumental value and surrounded by objects of unknown historical value -with out any supervision. Contemporary art and history have that at least in common: unknown, immeasurable cultural value and a rush of discovery. I didn’t so much as cough on any of the furniture, but there was a sense of transgression in my own self-guided running tour of Strawberry Mansion. PIMA’s Look! included some running from room to room choreography, and that was a kind of drama I could seriously identify with at the Powel House.

[Nike Desis is currently in the midst of publishing "Crayon Couture",an adult-themed activity book chock full of connect- the -dot satire, both written and illustrated by the artist. Desis is also an artist
living and working in Philadelphia]


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RAMBO: A cavalcade of blood and unbridled heroism

A Review of the new Rambo Film

I’m not sure I should start off with a punch in the face or go right to the exploding limbs, but one thing is certain, Rambo is not indecisive. He knows that you shouldn’t live for nothing, but rather, die for something! And he does not die, but everyone else sure does. If I were to title this movie differently it would be aptly known as “There Will Be More Blood Than One Would Expect.” In the latest Rambo, John is back as the most ripped geezer EVER. J. Edgar Hoover’s secret service protector would have agreed that many “knolly’s were popped” in this movie due to Sly’s sexy aim and god-like killing abilities. This bloodbath adventure contains morals and some sort of “life lesson”. But it is unclear and could be misinterpreted one hundred times over. But regardless of everything, Stallone is back and you should see this movie. [You can view the trailer here]

[Ricki Goleppi is an avid historian and artist based in Philadelphia, Detroit, Baltimore, and Opan. He enjoys sports and may or may not be more than one person.]


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