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Like so many other things, people want hard evidence that art brings value to a community just as taxpayers want to know why paying for research into the study of astrophysics, upgrading technological infrastructure, and committing to developing public transportation want to know.
Bottom line: why is art worth the money?
That's a very good question that I am thrilled to answer.
But this conversations extends far past what value does art bring tax payers, the far more compelling truth is that businesses can benefit from public art just as much, if not more, than taxpayers in terms of return on investment.
Immediately followinf our arrival to South Eastern Minnesota, I entered a call for art at the Rochester Art Center in Rochester, Minnesota and got accepted. As one of the last entries into the show I was elated to have been selected to display my art along with some wonderful artists.
My challenge was to create an interactive piece that could also honor the local heritage using an artifact.
It was slim pickens since I was the last artist to enter the show. Needless to say I was ready to accept whatever they had for me. The result is surprised me, and hopefully surprises you as well!
It can be easy to create branding for your business via services, like Canva or Photoshop, and having your business's signage printed at the most economical printer.
But, what are the hidden costs of connection behind modern commercial conveniences?
We often think that we can avoid our fears by being in control - by becoming perfect.
We attempt to control situations, people, and ourselves in this quest for perfection because we believe that will keep the fear at bay. The truth, as it often is, is counterintuitive.
By looking the fear in the eye, by demanding it show you reality, you are taking control because you are gaining the knowledge you need to actually see what is.
There’s something happening right now in the art world that feels bigger than trends, bigger than galleries, and honestly bigger than the market itself.
I’m not the biggest fan of where art has ended up over the last several decades. Too much of the conversation has been centered around money, what sells, what performs, what gets collected, what reaches auction houses, what becomes “valuable” in the eyes of institutions.
Art became tied to productivity and economics in the same way everything else under capitalism has. Even artists themselves were pushed into becoming brands, content machines, and businesses before they were ever allowed to simply create.