The Artist Art Auction Fundraiser Catch 22

This has been brewing in my cranium for a few years so it's had time to settle, collect, and perhaps ferment. Art benefit fundraisers often ask artists themselves to donate their work for the purpose of auctioning off the work to patrons. Sounds great but the issue most overlooked is why are artists the ones asked to donate their work, especially in Pittsburgh where it's known that few artists make a living based on their "non-commercial" art? I've spoken with gallery owners and artists over the past year on this subject and there exists a lot of questions.

Why is the artist leaned on to donate their work free of charge? Sure a lot of artists donate without looking critically at the larger picture due to their good natures and possibly think it's good exposure down the line. My biggest issue is why lean on artists given the inherent financial disadvantage most Pittsburgh artists experience. One prominent gallery owner I spoke with simply suggested the organizations should stick to events like private dinners and events which do not require artists to donate their work for auctions. There are a finite amount of art purchases in the region and the reality is that the significant art auction fundraisers take away from purchases which benefit the artists financially. The one exception I've noticed was Fe Gallery which had an option for the artist to retain a percentage. It gives the artist the option to choose. One could argue they have the option of just not participating at all but i think that to be an overly simplistic argument given the factors.

The exposure factor, meaning artists may not receive money but the exposure they receive helps them down the line. Tough to argue given the sheer amount of art at these auctions and the lack of probability further contact will be made.

Artists are generically known for giving more than they can necessarily "afford". Perhaps it's time to think why they are so often leaned upon? I think most will agree artists do a tremendous amount for their communities in their personal and job related activities. Do they really have to give their art away too?

Something to think about...

Another issue I'd like to blog about down the road is the degree to which businesses and other entities hit up artists to display their work for free based on consignment (if they actually sell). This is a practice artists themselves need to resist contributing to given the reality of the art world.

Rick Byerly

If you're looking for more info on Pittsburgh artists and how to support them check here.

Cheers

...

The Pittsburgh Art Blog

pittsburgh galleries is reborn anew as The Pittsburgh Art Blog. the blog features selected pittsburgh artists and upcoming exhibits with photos from the artists and galleries. since the major press outlets do not go beyond a directory listing of exhibits, blogs are needed to promote pittsburgh artists and their work. the blog also calls attention to the inferiority complex of pittsburgh art and how it's perpetuated by the major players in town. Started on August 20, 2007.pittsburgh area galleries and art venues are listed at the sister site www.PghGalleries.com.the blog and website are volunteer projects from fine art photographer and pittsburgh art advocate rick byerly, www.RickByerly.com.

Tav announces Issue 2 Release at Encyclopedia Destructica Studios. Friday Sept 11 2009

(Pittsburgh, PA) – Tav announces Issue 2 Release at Encyclopedia Destructica Studios.

Tav is an open group of artists, writers, filmmakers, and musicians whose collective works are compiled and released several times each year in special themed issues. Tav’s second issue, out now on CD, contains over one hundred individual pieces of fiction, poetry, painting, drawing, video, and song from Pittsburgh natives and national contributors. A release event for Issue 2 featuring art and video from contributors will be held on Friday, September 11th, at Encyclopedia Destructica Studios.

In honor of the designation of 2009 as the International Year of Astrology, Tav chose an exploration of the mythology of space as its curatorial center. Complete with an introduction animation inspired by the midnight laser shows of the Carnegie Science Center, every element of Tav bears a direct or loose relation to this theme. Consistent in all works is a sense of isolation, an investigation of the inner world, the hidden world, the otherworld, and the unknown, and an attempt to capture and understand the singular mystique and insular nature of both the individual and the universe she creates.

With each release Tav selects a contributor whose works exemplify the aim of the issue, to feature in both the issue and on Tav’s website. Hooliganship, a two-person art and music group featuring the collective efforts of Peter Burr and Christopher Doulgeris, former Pittsburgh residents and graduates of Carnegie Mellon University, was selected as the featured contributor for Issue 2. Hooliganship’s Adventure and Gylden Load videos, as well as several music tracks and videos by solo artist Peter Burr can be found on Issue 2.

In addition to works by the featured contributor, Tav contains individual works of fiction and poetry from David C. Casey, Eric Delp, Svetoslav Ivanov, Adrien Jensen, Stephanie Luczajko and Jessica Smucker; new selections of Character Bank, a collaborative open-source charater project, by Sonja Crafts and J. Young; painting and drawing by Christopher Kardambikis, Luke Meeken, Ryan Murray, and James Weaver; a new installment of Harmolipi Twp., a comic by Andrew Negrey, accompanied by collectible Planet Cards; video by Bum Lee, Ryan Murray and Luke Meeken and Andrew Negrey (introduction); and over two dozen MP3 tracks including Adventures in Trenoland 2, the complete second album of the New York based 8-bit musician Action/Adventure, as well as music by Aoru Mora, The Magic Sound Machine, The Sleeping World, Tricycle Bicycle Cycle, and Voodoo Pharmacology.

The release event will be held at the Encyclopedia Destructica Studios, 156 41st Street, Pittsburgh on September 11, 2009 from 7– 11 pm. Artwork by Christopher Kardambikis, Luke Meeken, and Andrew Negrey will be on display, as well as video by Hooliganship, Peter Burr, and Ryan Murray. Admission to the release event is free and open to the public.

Tav is a nonexclusive and ever-changing association of creative individuals, originally forming in 2007 as a means to facilitate collaborative projects and orchestrate sympathetic artistic efforts among several relocated Pittsburgh residents. In 2009, Tav began organizing select collaborations and outside submissions into publication format.

Tav: Issue 2 will retail for $5. The publication will be available at www.tav.ind.in as well as various local bookstores, shops, and art festivals.

For additional information, please contact Sonja Crafts by phone at 717-341-8262, or by email at editors(AT)tav.ind.in.