I went to a lecture last night, Josh Baer a NY art advisor who publishes the Bear Faxt news letter was the lecturer. The title was "What You Should Know About the Art Market. He broke down the art market into primary, secondary and print. The primary market stays fairly steady such as gallery's, the secondary market auction houses fluctuates and the print market stays the same. Bear said there are more Artists in FL than Lawyers a very funny statement, be it fact or not. He said he follows only about 100 artists from all the thousands out there and that an artist has a very short time during his/her career when they make great art if they ever achieve that level. A man tends to be of fame earlier in his career and a woman later, MUCH later in life. He was asked how he determines if a piece of art is important. Baer said he asks himself "How does this piece fit into the history of art?" This answer creates a new ceiling for me.
One question from the group of attendees asked about sentimental art and referred to it as a not so good description of art and one to avoid. Here is what I found out about this subject.
Sen-ti-men-tal - 1. of or characterized by sentiment; showing or affected by emotion rather than reason; 2. sentimental value - value of a thing to a particular person because of its associations.
'Space Travel' (by AB) was chosen to represent the spirit of the Museum of Sentimental Art (MOSA). Its sentiment, whimsy, and imagination exemplify the content chosen for this museum. Personal art such as this can be generated by nostalgia, romantic attachment, fond remembrance, eccentricity, or just an individuals particular turn of mind.
In traditionally defined art, an object is created and its value is subsequently determined by the collective response of a community to the creator's exceptional skill or the object's larger social significance. Traditional museums exhibit the best in categories, examine history and culture, or educate with new ideas.
But a 'sentimental' object, or personal art, has significance to a small group, or perhaps just a single individual. Material and execution are not the point - it's the personal attachment that transforms it and establishes its value. It has a story, as do all the entries in MOSA.
If you have a chance to attend his lectures it is time well spent.
