When you spend many years in the business end of the art world, it is to be expected that you'll end up with some stories. Some of those stories follow incidents that just leave you wondering why you are even doing what you're doing!
When we had the gallery in Austin, Texas it never ceased to amaze me how many potential customers came in — supposedly with the intention of buying one of more pieces of art — who actually had no interest in art, whatsoever.
In most cases, these folks were either just moving into a new house, or they were in the process of building a new house... and had likely hired a so-called "decorator" to help them with the task.
There's nothing quite like the feeling — as a gallery curator — that comes with someone looking at a painting, and then asking "do you have that, except in blue?"
On many occasions, we saw people come in, armed either with swatches of of fabric from their curtains, or even their actual couch cushions to find something that "matched their furniture."
I suppose we should have just been grateful that these good folks were even in an art gallery, as they clearly had no actual interest in art, but had been told that part of having a "tasteful" home meant they needed art on the walls.
Which opens the greater question of whether it's even fair to question whether or not people acquire art for "the right reasons."
Are there "right" and "wrong" reasons?
As artists, we typically labor away to express something, or to project some kind of feeling or impression to the world. Is it within our realm of "rights" to be insulted — let's say you're a stone sculptor — because someone comes in and buys one of your pieces because they need a doorstop?
Or are such things just part and parcel of the life and times of an artist... and "to be expected" as part of the greater spectrum of the experience of being human?
Aside from "The Couch Cushion People' another prominent group of visitors we had were the "investment buyers."
Similarly, they didn't necessarily care that much about the art, itself... but were constantly asking the question "so, does this artist's work usually go up in value?"
Which, of course, is a "loaded" question, because even an original Picasso bought from a major auction house is subject to fluctuations in value, according to what they popular art trend of the moment might be.
And in that last sentence, we have to recognize the fickleness that goes with art... even within the art world, itself we end up with "fashion trends" that are somewhat created by artists, themselves... Abstracts, Old Masters, Cubism, Impressionism... it all cycles in and out.
And so... we end up with the only possible realization — at least that's where I go as a former art gallery owner — that there is truly no accounting for "taste," when it comes to art!
Thanks for stopping by, and do please leave a comment if you feel so inspired!
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All images are our own, unless otherwise attributed
