Why Today’s Art Does Not Sell – People Can’t See It!

I am not talking about dead artists. They sell, because their art has become a commodity that is governed by supply and demand. I am talking about all the other art. This is what happened to me: I currently exhibit at the new Central Public Library in Newport Beach. After hanging, I sat in front of the main wall that had six large paintings of mine. 3,000 people walk by that wall every day. Nice, right? One would think so. Within 40 minutes, even though visitors pass by the paintings within 30 inches, only four people glanced at my art. There was one other artist that actually stopped and pondered the pieces. I know, because I engaged him and asked what it was that made him look. His answer “I just love art and look at anything that is artsy.” One might think my art just does not draw attention. It was not that; I am a minimal pop artist, see michaellart.com. For the last six months, on the same wall was a rotating show of California Scene painters exhibited, each round had a value of about $300.000.00. The reaction of visitors was the same.

Do people not like art anymore? I don’t think so, because within the same 40 min period at about 10 feet prior to my first painting is a 40” TV monitor that tells people what other creative events the library is offering. Almost trance like, about 50% of visitors gave it a glimpse and many stood there to get more information. I believe, Humans have adapted to technology, which has slowly changed our behaviors on how we look at any content, from information to TV or to the Arts.

What happened is similar to our movie theaters which are still struggling to increase attendance, artists and galleries have not caught up fast enough with technical advancements. We know that 0ur mind food comes from a trough resembling a monitor, so much so, that we are losing the organic awareness of information coming any other way. If you don’t know it, "Google It" or "Go on the Web" has become our first response. There are generations raised with an i-pad that value a monitor as more real than a canvas for art.

Solutions: The challenge that the entire Art Community and Creators face is to find how to connect to the audience that loves their “kind of art” and how to interface with that audience to create a desire/need.

Buying/collecting art needs to be made hip and interesting again by promoting the value of art for humans not art for art's sake with intellectual art speak.

Artists have one of the last businesses that is based on a one-of-one product. I have never heard an artist telling me, that their prints brought them significant income or helped them survive. In general, prints or copies of any art pieces, other than for promotional purposes don't help, because any copy cheapens the art.

Not to forget, our brain digests information better and faster than ever. I sat for hours in museums to study by-passers. Most scan the room and go to what attracts them, quickly scan the work and move on. A Still-Life is usually digested in the peripheral vision of the visitor.

Art can and should stand on its own, but it can't promote itself, especially in a world full of distractions. There needs to be a clear distinction of responsibilities of what the artist's duties are, so artists can choose to abide by them. Art needs to be uplifted from an after-thought to being boldly featured, promoted on all media in close collaboration with galleries, museums, art organizations, education and governments. A Ferrari designer does not have the duty to find customers and sell to them.

The Art Business could cobined work on reconnecting the disconnect of art into the human experience. If need be, combine the Arts with its different Muses to present new art hybrids to give the proper attention to this essential human core expression. I believe then people will start to see, start to appreciate, buy and support this human gift. More Solutions welcome.

by Michaell Magrutsche
Artist, Art Scientist
Bajaartists.com