Jumpsuits & Teleporters

One week into my second quarter in grad school and I’m already trying to figure out my place in Arts Administration. I have one textbook and an awful lot of online reading (NY Times, Art and Education, Arts Journal, The Guardian, Artforum, e-Flux, etc.) I entered the program with some pretty general stereotypes of managing the arts: namby pamby, idealist, non-profit, volunteer, making art accessible to the masses, affordable art, community arts programs, collaboration vs. competition, and so-on—all being said with a negative tone. But I am finding out that my dream of being a populizer can be attained through advocacy. Now there’s a word I can agree with, no holds barred.

So what’s wrong with community art programs? Absolutely nothing. However, I disagree with making art more affordable. Why lessen the value of art to make it understandable and accessible? The idealist in me thinks, “Yes, this affordable art is a good idea.” On the other hand, that is why we have fine art. I am completely turned off by the notion of heading to Target’s home goods aisles to purchase cheap, poorly-framed reproductions because of the need to decorate walls. That is why editioned prints (i.e. etchings and lithographs) exist.

There are two art worlds in my mind: 1) community-based art for education and 2) elitist, avant-garde visual arts. Frankly, the two don’t mix but this is not a bad thing. You don’t have to have an MFA or a PhD to “get” art, but art for education and beautification is completely different than what’s going on in the art market.

Two books that I am currently reading that are shaping my potential thesis topic include Seven Days in the Art World by Sarah Thornton and Collecting Contemporary Art by Andrea Bellini. In the words of Keith Tyson (quoted from Seven Days in the Art World), “Unlike gold and diamonds, art has this other value, and that’s what makes it fascinating. Everything else is trying to sell you something else. Art is trying to sell you yourself. That’s what is different about it. Art is what makes life worth living.” It is said that art reflects our current times and contemporary art, in its’ many varying forms, serves this purpose. What does community art reflect?

Published last year, both books give insight into the art world and what is currently happening in contemporary art. So maybe my version of making art more accessible is being an advocate for contemporary art and explaining the need to nurture the art market rather than cultivate our community arts programs. There are enough of those already.