The political cartoonist’s drawings that seemed childish and inept when first encountered, somehow manage to become more expressive and articulate when seen day to day. Once the artist’s vocabulary is assimilated the sense of humor comes through, caricatures are more astute, the comment more pointed. This isn’t a difficult process, in fact it’s automatic -- all it takes is exposure. Your human mind does the rest.
This has always been a primary obstacle for the original artist, yakking away but without being seen enough for anyone to absorb their language, and so the work isn’t ‘seen’ in the first place. The oldest cliche’ about the life of the artist has to do with the lag time between the making of art and its appreciation. So much different these days, with optional venues available, the gallery system loses sway. Uptown rent so high, competition so intense, and the aroused sharks in those track-lit off-white lagoons disquiet the tourists. The product as well is suspect, propped up with tinny testimonials -- listing one-person shows, articles written, honors received, previous price points. Too much art is up in public nowadays for their exclusionary marketing, cultivating a stable of clients constantly encouraged to trade up toward those bigger resumes, to more obscure art.
Murals on blank walls, placements in public venues, even businesses newly established for people to paint while drinking wine, all contribute to a general visual awareness, the acquisition of visual language out in the community. Once visual art establishes a voice that isn’t just trying to sell something, there will rise up a broader community ready to listen, bet they’re out there now. Art isn’t just for beautiful people anymore.
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