Looking at Art:

Conceptual art is artwork in which the idea, or artist’s intention, is more important than the piece itself. This concept may have originated in 1917 with Marcel Duchamp, who displayed a urinal in an art gallery, titled it “Fountain” and called it his art. In 1952, the composer John Cage created a three-movement composition called “Four minutes, thirty-three seconds” in which the pianist was instructed not to play during the piece, leaving the audience in silence. In May 2021, artist Salvatore Garau may have outdone all previous conceptual artists with “Lo Sono” (I am), an invisible sculpture which does not actually exist. The piece sold for €14,820.00 (about $18,030) on May 18, 2021, during the “4-U new Contemporary Art Auction” in Italy. On June, 15, 2021, Eli Federman wrote an article for Newsweek calling the transaction a fraud. The artist’s explanation of the work, which suggests that the viewer must activate their imagination, reminds me of the children’s story, “The Emperor’s New Clothes” (The Emperor’s clothes were invisible.) What do you think?

Work in the studio:

As a traditional artist, I learn about the issues which affect the art market and I am blown away. Another example of what is going on with art now, is a recent article in the New York Times on “How to Buy Art” for the new collector. It addressed a wealthy elite and included opinions of gallerists, patrons and art advisors. While working in my own studio, I have learned that I need to put all of this out of my mind and get to work.

The Skeptic, Ceramic Sculpture, 3” x 2”x 2”