The Art Mafia

I guess I have always known that the "World of Art" is  not unlike a cartel: they don't want you buying your art from the source. Bad for their business. Which leads to an interesting questions, what is their business? After all, paintings,  the most widely acquired form of art,  are truly and completely subjective in terms of valuation.

But there is an Art Mafia (#artmafia) David Zwirner, Hauser & Wirth, Marian Goodman Gallery, Pace, and Gagosian Gallery would be the "Five Families" members.  The keepers of " what's important,"  in fact wouldn't know real value from a turd. Worse, they have all taken huge amounts and sold mediocrity.  Think Wall Street selling Junk Bonds: the complete shoddiness only revealed when they tried to "cash in" on their "investment."

How do I know this is true of the above mentioned art dealers? Simple. I challenge  anyone that has made a purchase from any of the above to try and get more money back for their "painting" then they paid in say there years.

And here is the other rub: why would you own something you didn't like, and if you liked it why would you sell it?

Never buy paintings as an investment unless that investment is in your on joy.

Koi Pond

Paintings that act as a salve for the mind have become my new direction, especially now; the world needs more sources of enduring joy than ever before.

Koi Pond provides an escape to peace and quiet.  A painting that takes the observer to blissful relaxation. This work is more about a mood than a story, with plenty of nuances.

My paintings are becoming more of a framework; after all a painting is entertainment. The best type of diversion needs to be an understandable feeling or emotion that all of us share at its core.

Working on a new painting now, A Fine and Private Place, a title I borrowed from Peter S. Beagle's novel, one of my favorites growing up.