The Big Question
The promise of money polarizes the art world. Mirroring a seemingly arbitrary market, this incentive for financial gain reveals a common struggle amongst artists, galleries, and collectors. For better or worse, however, art and price will be forever interlaced.
By relying predominantly on instinct, galleries discern the profitability of a work and turn to their respective communities for support. Still, a tangible understanding of the distinction between technique and value helps 3RD Ethos, Hashimoto Contemporary, and Pop International stay afloat.
While money has its place, collectors find their own value. Dan Ovadia and Bing Cruz search for the intangible properties of art – community, connection, and inspiration – and weigh the price tag against intrinsic merit. Eventually, the pieces become more about emotional significance than evident affluence.
The promise of money polarizes the art world.
Critics like Jerry Saltz commend originality. Beginning his foray into the contemporary art world as an artist, his writing stems from a love of the craft and a respect for a process he’s witnessed firsthand. Saltz is often at odds with the market and claims no interest in prompting its vacillation.
Artists’ attitudes range across the spectrum. Kai believes money comes second to the sheer joy of creating and making an impact. Others, like Orange Li, learned to compartmentalize their preferred oeuvre from what the audience desired, conforming to survive in a profit-driven city like New York. Sean Sullivan applies his hustle to his business, as much as his art.
The division between wealth and artistic integrity has become increasingly blurred. Here at UP, we strive to ask hard-hitting questions that get to the core of the issue. Our investigation uncovered the ways money can regulate, influence, and galvanize art – and at what cost. So, we’re turning to you for the answer to our big question:
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SELL OUT?
Send your thoughts to Upmagstaff@gmail.com and we’ll publish the best responses!
Contest Winner Responses
From Larry Leventhal
I thought about your question about the issue of selling out. I think there are two perspectives, as on one hand it is a pejorative accusation thrown around quite easily in many milieus, and on the other an existential question for any creative struggling on their direction when that direction changes.
I think there are two perspectives, as on one hand it is a pejorative accusation thrown around quite easily in many milieus, and on the other an existential question for any creative struggling on their direction when that direction changes. – Larry Leventhal
It is easy to accuse others of being a sellout, demanding some form of purity while ignoring the conditions that a person works under. While it’s not impossible to be a sell out, I am sure the art scene is littered with former greats reduced to hacks based on their need for money, developing into a self-justifying plunge into hack behavior based on simple greed.
At heart you need an exchange, the selling of something, the artist’s commitment towards their artistic vision being traded in for financial security. Simple statement but when people change, grow and their lives grow such as having a family how can an artist not change. The sad truth is it is the minority of artists in any genre who are able to resist the forces of financial need to survive and maintain their path. Most either have to come to some balance between satisfying their customers and their vision or leave the field entirely.
The sad truth is it is the minority of artists in any genre who are able to resist the forces of financial need to survive and maintain their path. Most either have to come to some balance between satisfying their customers and their vision or leave the field entirely. – Larry Leventhal
It is easier to define a “sellout” when pure greed is expressed and any artistic vision is thrown away for the pursuit of money. The community simply is mistaken in their belief the individual was committed to some vision which they abandoned but it may be that person was never committed but always looking to make a buck no matter how. But how do you quantify how much sacrifice is needed before someone can change to make money and not be a sellout? For the internal view, this is the crisis I believe all artists face when their desire to create something that is purely theirs on their terms and stand firm against whatever needs they have and pressures they face to enter the “acceptable. I believe that it is the rare individual that can break through and succeed simply on their terms, it can be done but the pressures for conformity are enormous in our society and in the various cultural microcosms that exist.
And what happens to the artist that changes direction that happens to bring them financial success or leaves a path that was for them financially barren. People who aren’t living their lives eagerly it seems are quite happy to pass judgement. So in the head of any creative they have to struggle to determine this line where change is ok as long as it doesn’t violate their own standards of conduct.
It was very suitable to have the first issue of UP begin with money, both the lack and too easy abundance can damage any creative, hence your question. In the end, of my meandering letter here I think I haven’t really answered the question at all. I guess it always comes down to the individual case and context.
From Hank Von Hellion, aka, Xile
There are those that would argue that selling out is simply a monetary issue. Being paid to pump out work to suit someone else’s agenda would fall under that argument. There are also those that would argue that selling out is a matter of tailoring style and process to meet the current market trends. Painting portraits of birds or indiscriminate “native” women would fall under this particular argument at the moment.
Personally, I think selling out is the conscience decision to “play the game” as I’ve so often heard the act of placating the political and interpersonal ego-heavy minefield of the art world to get ahead, referred to. – Xile
Personally, I think selling out is the conscience decision to “play the game” as I’ve so often heard the act of placating the political and interpersonal ego-heavy minefield of the art world to get ahead, referred to. Art, particularly graffiti, always felt to me to be a way for the little guy to rise up from the muck of a chaotic landscape and either call out the abusers of the world on an independent platform or to raise themselves up to a place that would scream “you can’t ignore me, even if you try.” The idea that one would accept having to stroke the egos and play to the whims of “powerful” people in the art world to get ahead as an acceptable matter of course, seems like an affront to everything I’ve come to love about art. It also means that you, as someone that propagates that nepotistic mindset, are part of the problem.
This kind of work shouldn’t be easy. It shouldn’t simply be a matter of going to tether right patties, or smoking pot with the right gallery heads and festival directors. It should require the kind of dedication that comes from a place, that places passion before fashion. When that’s not the case with an artist then that’s selling out.
It shouldn’t simply be a matter of going to tether right patties, or smoking pot with the right gallery heads and festival directors. It should require the kind of dedication that comes from a place, that places passion before fashion. When that’s not the case with an artist then that’s selling out. – Xile
Dealing with, and publicly supporting, the used car salesmen and shameless social climbers of the art world because you think it will advance your career makes you a sellout POS and all the instagram followers in the world won’t change that. These kinds of people are powerful because we enable them to be, by buying into their self-serving mythos. Art, at its core should be a giant fuck you to the powerful and manipulative. When you subvert that mission for a few bucks and new followers you are a toy and a sellout.
From Angelo Sandoval
This is a vital question for anyone with artistic ability. I would like to thank y’all for putting that question out there.
As artists we want to see our people thrive and move on to bigger and better things, right? Sure, but at what cost to our creative minds?
As artists we want to see our people thrive and move on to bigger and better things, right? Sure, but at what cost to our creative minds? – Angelo Sandoval
It’s hard these days to create without someone having an opinion about it– positive or negative. Artists typically see the negative side more than the positive, which is unfortunate because as the artists, we should feel comfortable expressing ourselves the way we want to. When we focus too much on the negative, we struggle to create art that is authentic to ourselves in fear of rejection.
“Will the people like this?”Are you really creating what’s vibrating within you? “Selling out” doesn’t always have to do with where the money talks, but putting a road block on your art to please the masses.
“Will the people like this?”Are you really creating what’s vibrating within you? “Selling out” doesn’t always have to do with where the money talks, but putting a road block on your art to please the masses. – Angelo
Naturally artists want people to like the content they create. The ones who do will appreciate what you decide to create, not what they want you to create. At the end of the day, you are the one that was gifted with the talent. Not them.
From Davee_Art
Selling out.
99% of the time the idea of selling out is simply a reason to crap on the work of a successful artist. It’s something that is most often brought up by people who don’t make art or those haven’t succeeded in making a living out of their creative work. It’s usually a defense mechanism of people projecting their failures unto others. “Selling out” means someone else’s success was only possible because that artist lost their integrity and opted to cash in.
In some creative circles the idea of making work for one’s own satisfaction is seen as the most important thing. But for those who actually have to eat from the creative work they produce, sustainability HAS to be the main focus. – Davee
In some creative circles the idea of making work for one’s own satisfaction is seen as the most important thing. But for those who actually have to eat from the creative work they produce, sustainability HAS to be the main focus. Sometimes I hear people say they don’t care if anyone likes their work, as long as they like it. This used to resonate with me, because as a teenager I had the same mentality; I was making work for myself or to impress my friends at the most. But now I’ve come to realize most of the time I hear an artist say that, their work is fucking awful.
They think they’re declaring their integrity as an artist but in reality they’re just giving you a disclaimer. You don’t get extra points for caring about your own work; it should go without saying.
The ability to create work that other people enjoy, work that keeps you sustainable, is what makes the difference between a professional artist and a hobbyist. For many artists this means having to work on projects they’re not interested in, or making work with the intent of appealing to the masses (or at least to those who are actually willing to pay for it). The ironic thing is while this is seen as a negative thing by some, all it really means is an artist was able to create something of value, they were able to give back to society in some way.
Finding creative ways to monetize your skills/talents is just part of being an artist. Pushing through those challenges of making work for others is what often leads to growth. What some people see as “selling out” is really the humble act of giving back to society and the noble pursuit of a sustainable life as an artist.
Finding creative ways to monetize your skills/talents is just part of being an artist. Pushing through those challenges of making work for others is what often leads to growth. What some people see as “selling out” is really the humble act of giving back to society and the noble pursuit of a sustainable life as an artist. – Davee
Beyond basic sustainability the problem with questioning someone else’s integrity, is we have no idea what someone’s motives are in the first place. The relationship between an artist and their work is such a personal thing that an outsider could never really have any idea of why a specific artist produces work in the first place. Wanting to make a good (or great) living from art doesn’t diminish your creative work. Being an artist means using your creativity to create the life you want for yourself, whatever that may be. Most of the people concerned with “selling out” are the same ones who give up pursuing their art as a profession in order to supposedly keep their integrity intact. Instead they get a boring 9 to 5 in some office only to work on their shitty paintings with the little time and energy they have left. At the end of the day, who’s really selling out?
