tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post8143926032433961997..comments2024-03-03T15:01:00.402-05:00Comments on Joanne Mattera Art Blog: The Downturn in ChelseaUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-51063031733541852382008-11-19T01:40:00.000-05:002008-11-19T01:40:00.000-05:00Fascinating read and discussion. Thanks.Fascinating read and discussion. Thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-59858862712652120542008-11-16T20:49:00.000-05:002008-11-16T20:49:00.000-05:00I think. s. a. just said something very important ...I think. s. a. just said something very important (again), that "there are so many artists..." When I first came up, an artist was not what everyone wanted to be. The people studying art were not on some fast track to economic and artstar success. The classes were small. The museums were empty. The first megashow (Tut) was just forming. That's all changed. They are churning out the MFAs, whateverEvahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04526963554623770078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-10721716028295545652008-11-15T13:40:00.000-05:002008-11-15T13:40:00.000-05:00"The dichotomy of poor-but-creative versus rich-wi..."The dichotomy of poor-but-creative versus rich-with-no-integrity troubles me--whether the reference is to artists, dealers or collectors. Things are not so black and white."<BR/><BR/>Well, you're absolutely right, Joanne --- it's far too easy to romanticize the incubator days...and trying to remember where this thread started....<BR/>There are so many more artists now, and such an expanded S.A.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10133408897629306555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-56783641132478665462008-11-15T12:15:00.000-05:002008-11-15T12:15:00.000-05:00The dichotomy of poor-but-creative versus rich-wit...The dichotomy of poor-but-creative versus rich-with-no-integrity troubles me--whether the reference is to artists, dealers or collectors. Things are not so black and white. <BR/><BR/>When I write about galleries and artists, it's rarely with regard to blue chippers. I don't know that world. I write about what I know, and that's the vast middle ground of artists and dealers who are working hard, Joanne Matterahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02564594823192456546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-44084766197969009482008-11-15T09:33:00.000-05:002008-11-15T09:33:00.000-05:00The idea that in hard times the most interesting s...The idea that in hard times the most interesting stuff happens is certainly true. When NYC was virtually bankrupt in the mid '70s, there was an explosion of DIY energy -- Clocktower, PS1, the Kitchen, 112 Greene, etc. - and leading into Eva and her colleagues in the East Village (not to mention Punk Rock and other art/music cross-fertilizations). One of the most striking differences back then wasS.A.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10133408897629306555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-78295187325847827602008-11-14T12:26:00.000-05:002008-11-14T12:26:00.000-05:00I think that for every gallery who finds "a new wa...I think that for every gallery who finds "a new way to do business" (and closes their bricks and mortar) there will be a new space of some sort put up by artists. It may be only a window project or shows in someone's living room, but these ventures often lead to galleries and they always lead to new opportunities. I'm thinking the hard times of the East Village. I opened my own space when I facedEvahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04526963554623770078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-43906235124626727512008-11-13T21:44:00.000-05:002008-11-13T21:44:00.000-05:00JIT 'just in time', where small businesses supply...JIT 'just in time', where small businesses supply parts. Each part business usually has no relation except to the major whole. Via a streamline production and excellent transport system, all things, small parts and big, come together, Just in Time.<BR/><BR/>I don't wish anyone reduced income. I do wish everyone greater 'general-relativity', increased 'risk-taking' karma, Longer and more casual Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-10576146583881583922008-11-13T19:32:00.000-05:002008-11-13T19:32:00.000-05:00damien hirst did freeze in a warehouse.damien hirst did freeze in a warehouse.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-33983937591870981112008-11-13T19:22:00.000-05:002008-11-13T19:22:00.000-05:00Maybe the WPA will get reinstated and we can all s...Maybe the WPA will get reinstated and we can all sing cum ba ya and hhold hands while we paint murals and eat in soup kitchens. With the blue chip galleries sucking up all the disposable income of mr,. and mrs. rich, the only hope the emerging artis will have is in the hand out and crumb tossingAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-43689053590713459262008-11-13T17:25:00.000-05:002008-11-13T17:25:00.000-05:00Anon writes: "diy shows would pop up and those org...Anon writes: "diy shows would pop up and those organizers would become new gallerists."<BR/><BR/>I think you're on to something here, as entrepreneurial spirit is strong, if untapped, in many artists. But the same real-estate issues constricting the galleries will surely constrict artists, no? <BR/><BR/>So where will these events take place? Queens? Way out in Brooklyn? Up the Hudson? New Jersey?Joanne Matterahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02564594823192456546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-20563470078108055612008-11-13T15:25:00.000-05:002008-11-13T15:25:00.000-05:00i can't see artists forfeiting exhibitions or poss...i can't see artists forfeiting exhibitions or possibilities of reviews and public feedback. if it was just about the sale why get into art in the first place. <BR/><BR/>diy shows would pop up and those organizers would become new gallerists. critics and reviewers would focus on them and increase reputations. no critic is going to write ad-copy for a cyber gallery.<BR/><BR/>20% to a cyber Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-71045325469143688382008-11-13T09:58:00.000-05:002008-11-13T09:58:00.000-05:00We may be talking about a new species here --- som...We may be talking about a new species here --- something like a consultant --- in other contexts it might be called a manager or an agent. If you remove the physical exhibition component, the cost of doing business is drastically reduced. I'd be more inclined to think a 20-25% cut might be appropriate. A lot would depend on the previous reputation of the gallery -- for many well-established S.A.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10133408897629306555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-73019458689307515542008-11-12T15:05:00.000-05:002008-11-12T15:05:00.000-05:00Daniel,I'd disagree. Part of the 50% commission is...Daniel,<BR/><BR/>I'd disagree. Part of the 50% commission is the visibility the gallery affords the artist--the bricks-and-mortar space that allows gallery goers, including collectors, critics and curators, the opportunity to see the actual work. If the gallery that has retreated to cyberspace continues to take ads in the art magazines and show an artist's work at the art fairs, OK maybe, but Joanne Matterahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02564594823192456546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-2890277329887865782008-11-12T14:59:00.000-05:002008-11-12T14:59:00.000-05:00daniel - that is a nice chunk of change to put in ...daniel - that is a nice chunk of change to put in the pocket if a dealer is not having to pay rent on a space, utilities, gallery staff, and likely much less on insurance... not to mention not even having to get up in the morning, put on a "suit", go to work and deal with the public.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-76578008746332271642008-11-12T12:39:00.000-05:002008-11-12T12:39:00.000-05:00Anon: I'd imagine that galleries that retreat onli...Anon: I'd imagine that galleries that retreat online will still get 50% commission. That commission is payment for their handling of the sale, from any marketing that was needed, customer relations, to order processing. If they continue to do all that, they deserve the 50%. <BR/><BR/>Some online-only galleries ask for a smaller percentage, but they are usually partial self-service galleries: theyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-42366246487647424752008-11-12T11:27:00.000-05:002008-11-12T11:27:00.000-05:00Tony,I thought I was clear in my post and in my re...Tony,<BR/>I thought I was clear in my post and in my response to you that I am not speaking about "the players," aka the blue-chippers. That's another world. I don't know about it, and I don't write about it. I'm speaking about the committed midlevel dealers who are, at this point, working hard to keep their nose above the waterline. That's what most artists do, isn't it? So I see affinities Joanne Matterahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02564594823192456546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-27650784324581066932008-11-12T10:27:00.000-05:002008-11-12T10:27:00.000-05:00Well Joanne, I'm so pleased that your experie...Well Joanne, I'm so pleased that your experience with Gallery owners has been so refreshingly rewarding with all this self-sacrifice & integrity going around. Obviously there are many who express the qualities that you have mentioned but the 'players' just aren't like that.tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09651605575992543944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-83028944925930037382008-11-12T09:46:00.000-05:002008-11-12T09:46:00.000-05:00Anonymous, we didn't get that far in the conversat...Anonymous, <BR/>we didn't get that far in the conversation. Good point, though. I think we all need to see how this plays out.<BR/><BR/>Tony,<BR/>You're speaking like one who has little first-hand interaction with dealers. In other words, you're being naive. <BR/><BR/>There is a world, no, a universe, of difference between the big blue chippers who are dealing megastar-artists to Russian Joanne Matterahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02564594823192456546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-9002999602285664922008-11-12T05:04:00.000-05:002008-11-12T05:04:00.000-05:00I really tried to sympathise with these hard pushe...I really tried to sympathise with these hard pushed gallery owners but sympathy can only go so far. If the economic downturn leads to something I hope it will be a greater integrity on the part of dealers and & artists alike; an art less self-proclamatory and collectors who buy for 'love' rather than investment/vanity.Having said that I think the reality will be that a great tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09651605575992543944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30832682.post-45126386173647804252008-11-12T01:39:00.000-05:002008-11-12T01:39:00.000-05:00are the "going cyber" dealers still going to expec...are the "going cyber" dealers still going to expect 50% even if they are not providing shows and all of that?<BR/><BR/>i wonder what a fair percentage might be once the satisfaction of a show and any possibilty of a review has been removed. <BR/><BR/>-m.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com