[Leica] High price for art

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

> About those Giacometti sculptures, the Koval antiques site reports that the
> Alberto Giacometti bronze sculpture "L'homme qui marche I" ("Walking Man 
> I")
> sold last week for $104,327,006. It is the most expensive artwork ever sold
> at auction.
> 
> Perhaps we are in the wrong artistic endeavor. Metal working, sculpture and
> bronze casting seem to pay pretty well. Now all I have to do is convince my
> wife to give up brush and paint in favor of a welding torch.
> 
> Larry Z
> 
Metal working, sculpture and  bronze casting are certainly  in the
categories of  " artistic endeavor". Its hard to do these things in a non
serious manner. These people take classes in what they are doing.  Get
degree's even. They read books about it. Study the history of it. Go to art
openings and make a point of keeping the company of others who are also
learning and developing this craft and art.

The problem with photography is that although it is a vocation and a serious
endeavor most take it as a rather light hearted avocation. Something to let
off some steam in their spare time. We're used to getting our snaps back
from the drugstore.
Now they want us to fool around with it first on our computer screens.
People want to make happy snap and trade one camera or lens in for another
first on Shutterbug. Now on eBay.
And the fact they have a seven thousand dollar camera with ten thousand
dollar lens does not lesson that happy snap trading approach. Nobodies
working on their portfolio.
Our favorite photographer? Paper?  School?  (Photo-Secession,  Bauhaus ,
Group f/64)! 
Its more like What's a 50 Summicron going for on eBay?

So no when you seeing the lists  and maybe even out with cameras
unfortunately what you're NOT seeing by and large is a pursuit of an "
artistic endeavor".
What you're seeing is rhetoric and conspicuous consumption.
And I'm not sure how much the two concepts over lap each other.
Though I imagine when sculptors meet at caf?'s they may not bring their
latest work with them and drag it through the door Or show off their latest
sculpting tools stacking them in the middle of the table.
They have "studio trades".
I invite  you over to my studio and show you my work and you invite me over
to yours.
I've done this once in NY in the 3.3 years I've been here.
And it was with a sculptor not a photographer.
She understood when I brought over prints not things which stand on the
middle of floor.
I don't think she showed me her sculpting tools and I didn't think to ask to
see them.


[Rabs]
Mark William Rabiner