Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/03/12

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Subject: RE: [Leica] Re: price of art prints (was re: kyle's fine art)
From: "Tim Atherton" <tim@KairosPhoto.com>
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 20:02:28 -0700

> Jumping in the middle of the fray:  this was exactly my
> point on my PAW.
> Folks in the middle of great art were standing around
> staring at their
> watch, looking off into space.
> >
> > Why should the US government support art when people pay
> > to see truly
> > wonderful surrealist work and then don't see it.  It was
> > more stamping the
> > been there, done that card than drinking in the world
> > that fine art can show
> > us.

Well, I went to see the Surrealism show at the Tate Modern, and it was very
busy (and had been open for a while), but 90% of the people were studying
the art. I went back to the Tate Modern on a rainy Saturday to look at the
other galleries and it was very busy - again, surprise surprise, most of the
people were looking at the art. People were talking about it, explaining it
to children, young and old people were standing there sketching from works,
I was pushing my six month old round, showing him the Picassos and Hockneys
and Mondrians and Giacomettis... (oh and the giant Gursky photographs -
really good).

This was people enjoying and appreciating art. And it was busier and
livelier than the average deadened mall I seem to come across everywhere I
go. (on top of which it's a damned neat building).

BTW, the gallery got 5.25 million visitors in the first year it was open
(and it wasn't exactly quiet when I visited). That's a lot of people who
seem interested in art...?

A quick pic from my trip to the Tate?

http://www.pdiphotos.com/pr/tatherton/tatherton-2002Feb22-001-pr.jpg

(excuse the watermark...!)

Okay, it's public art (free to view), although a private institution, but as
I recall, lots of government money went into it too.

My point - people will experience and can enjoy art if you give em a chance



Tim A

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