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the Current State of the Art World
May-14-2007 12:00 AM
I am recently inspired by an article in the June 2007 issue of Architectural Digest written by Steven M. L. Aronson where he discusses the hyper art market. Are they really worth the prices they are fetching? How do you rate Koons versus Lichtenstein? The ferocity the newly minted wealthy display in acquiring 'status' artwork is partly responsible for the skyrocketing prices. I am personally aware of the phenomenon of acquiring a 'status' piece even here in culturally anorexic Detroit. As the few remaining viable galleries struggle for survival, they have no choice but to show work created by artists already deemed important. It is increasingly difficult for other artists to get a show in a gallery where they may aspire to said status. I'm also alarmed at the lack of support for local talent in one of the wealthiest counties in the country (in spite of recent economic events). The collectors who have the financial muscle to propel a local artist to the front of the line are either unaware of Detroit's vast talent pool or uninterested. Maybe a Detroit artist doesn't carry the necessary panache to impress the neighbors? They certainly do, we just haven't given them, us, that title. Of course, for the serious collector, it is as important the acquired piece retain its value, if not out pace inflation, as well as to love it. Great art is being created everywhere, not just New York. If the Phoenix does rise from the ash, then Detroit's art scene is only beginning its creative germination and stands to produce spectacular works. I hope the bloom isn't wasted sweetness on the desert air.
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