In the not so distant past it would have been unheard of to
take photographs of an artist’s work during an exhibition and one could have
been sure of a negative response from the gallery owner however polite the
request. If you couldn’t afford the original or a print then there would surely
be a small reproduction in the catalogue or book. We have long since passed the
period of being politely requested not to take photographs by museums and galleries
as everyone carries their mobile phone at the ready. That old concept of
politeness still abounds within the walls of my studio where visitors would not
dream of taking photographs without first asking permission. All that changes
when those same images are freely displayed in public because now they are
public and free. So do I now assume that all art should be freely available and
if so how am I the artist to make a living? This past week I ran two paid
workshops and have another this coming week plus two talks, however that alone
won’t cover expenses. And between exhibitions where am I supposed to store it
all. The words of a friends daughter spring to mind when after my first ever
exhibition she said “Stop now Tom before it’s too late”. Is the overcrowded
studio crammed with past work what all artists have to contend with in later
life? Our own physical abilities become restricted in harmony with the shrinking
studio space as insulating layers of stacked canvases encroach and the only way
out is to start repainting. Those lustful nudes of yester years will soon
become the passion of pastures new.
While sitting in on
my exhibition in An Lanntair art centre I have been asked only a couple of
times if it is OK to take photographs but that it usually to take a photo of me
the artist, a man, stitching. So do they now want my sole as well? What is on the walls is widely assumed to be free
for the taking. The taking of a photo is a process of possessing that image
with no recompense to the artist. Once the excellent free image has been made using
that smartphone there is no need to possess the original. If that image is then
posted or shared on line then who is the owner. It would seem that just like
music the visual arts are to be freely consumed. I imagine those happy snappers
would consider that I should be flattered that they wish to point their phone
in the general direction of my labours but unsurprisingly to me at least their
image collecting leaves me cold. It could be said that I like those happy
snappers am simply making images, but that is to oversimplify the process,
painting a picture not only takes longer than pressing the button but also takes
considerably more skill.
There is no way that the average person could afford to pay
me for a year’s labour in stitching a stumpwork casket so in this hyper-connected
world why shouldn’t they take a photo? Do they think to possibly share these
images with friends? Maybe, but does that make it any more likely that I will
have a sale? No, I have never sold any of my artwork over the internet or by
photograph and what on earth is the purpose of a like? To me likes are just
another loneliness indicator, used in the hopes that others may join in and
confirm that you are not the only sad bastard on this planet who enjoys
wandering around galleries with a smart phone.
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