Flush
or not, people are frustrated. In private many say most of
the shows they see are safe or conservative. Yet most reviews
are enthusiastic or merely descriptive. Too many critics
act like cheerleaders, reporters or hip metaphysicians. Amid
art fair frenzy, auction madness, money lust and market hype;
between galleries turning into selling machines, gossip passing
as criticism and art becoming a good job; the system, while
efficient, feels faulty, even false…
…The good news is that many people seem ready to do something
about this situation, rather than just get through it. Things
are simmering. More and more artists, gallerists and curators,
disturbed by the status quo, are taking matters into their
own hands. Much more needs to happen. Artists should curate
shows, write about them and make their own publications.
The agenda needs to be set by artists, not the market. Supply-and-demand
thinking has to shift to production-and-experience thinking.
Small communities or cells of artists, curators and critics
should band together, take positions, make cogent arguments,
and put those things out there.
-Jerry Saltz, 2005
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