*** Haus der Kulturen der Welt: Forum1 Archive *** ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [Date]: Sat, 30 Oct 1999 12:41:07 +0200 [From]: Francisco C—rdoba [To]: "Cultural Exchange via Internet" [Subject]: Can artists really "S-E-L-L" art??? Rome, October 30, 1999. Hello everybody! I'd like to refer to so some of the last issues concerning selling art. Of course I speak from my own experience as an artist, as a member of a non-profit culture organisation and as the the founder of my own public art studio. I agree with the fact that, in order to "sell" whatever, it is necessary to follow some sort of strategy. Obviously, the best one knows the society where he/she wants to sell his/her products, the best chances one can have in order to sell those products. Now, when it comes to art, it seems to me that many "selling strategies" change and do not follow the "normal every-product path". During the almost six years I've had my art studio, I've learned a lot in order to keep it alive. One of them, for instance, is that I myself cannot easily sell what I have created. In a way, this has "forced" me to develop a strategy: One has been the "development" side made of aspects such as a) I've always got the support from somebody to help me selling. b) Together with the person(s) I've been working with, I've tried to write and develop selling programs and projects. c) I've always used all publicity means possible (newspapers, art magazines, art newspapers, radio, tv, brochures, catalogues, telephone, fax and now even internet). d) I've tried to "understand" what could be sold "more". e) I've "invented" ways of exhibiting my art as well and have tried to "reinforce" the way the studio appeared to the visitors when special dates of the year (Christmas, Easter, Fall, etc., etc.) g) Last but not least, since I speak five languages and worked for many alienating years for several international moving companies, I've followed some of the "marketing strategies" I had to apply there. The other one has been the "culture, ethic and aesthetic" side: a) In my art, I've always tried to be loyal to my own culture, intelectual and political "roots". b) I've alwyas tried to be carry on an "honest research", that is addressing it to real research intentions and not to selling purposes. d) Through my art and through the studio I've always tried to develop the ideas of what I think culture democracy should be, of what I think freedom in art shoud be and of what I think freedom of "being" should be. This is how the culture association was born and this is why it has hosted so many different activities, such as dance, poetry, painting, performances, etc. Then, when it comes to join the two aspects together too often they do not match. For instance: 1) Often, in the society where I live in, it is absolutely important to know "people who count and make decisions" to make your way "smoother", to get "good" exhibiting places, to be "introduced" to the "right people". Of course I know this does not happen only here at all! 2) Because of the trend our society is developing, there is no possible way to cope with all its requests, unless one is a millionaire, maybe. 3) If the case is like mine, that is that I'm not a millionaire, one IS OBLIGED to learn so many fields, which lead far from the need to create (such as economy, sociology, psychology, marketing and administration, perhaps even more!). Fortunately, even if not perfect, I already know five languages, which is already an advantage. 4) Because, whether we accept it or not, this an "exclusion" society and freedom, which in my opinion should be one of the main characteristics of art, does not exist. Often, one must face pure exclusion (even groups wich consider themselves "progressive" have sometimes the tendency to exclude). Perhaps individualistic endencies reinforced by the development of our society do not allow anybody to be free from these mechanisms. On the 13th of October, Gerhard asked if anybody had any news about the "Culture Counts - Financing, Resources, and the Economic of Culture in Sustainable Development", a conference in Florence/Italy, 4-7 October 1999. I got in touch immediately with the Department of Culture Activities and Goods in order to find out something about it since, even if I read three newspapers, I probably missed that information then. Yesterday, I called them to ask why they hadn't answered to my e-mail. Then they called me back and gave me the information. Such a conference was actually organised by the Italian Foreign Affair Department (see their www.esteri.it, which is both Italian and English. Click the "current affairs" icon, then go to "speeches". There you'll find the introductory speech by the actual Foreign Affair Ministry). I sent to the Department also a request about documents from the participants to the conference. If there are any, I'll let you know when they answer to me. I found some of the principles expressed by the Minister very interesting and I wish some goals came true. Yet there is no real recognition for the working role of an artist in Italy, as it happens in most countries in the world. Even if our unofficial rol as artists exist socially and economically, as such most of the time we are not recognized as a "working category". So, unfortunately, when carrying on my everyday work for my art research and for my studio, I realize how far away some of those goals still are. Then, again, politics as well as economics are always very involved in our art products. I understand Juan JosŽ when answering to Donna about the "identity problem". I sometimes wonder if I have the same problem everyday, too! :-) Unfortunalety, even if not many artists have said it in this forum, I don't think we are alone. For those who have it, this is Halloween time, maybe by so much thinking one of those flames from a ghost will enlighten my brain allowing me to find an incredible marketing solution. Even if I'm very skeptical about miracles, I'll let you know the "secret" right away. :-) All the best, Francisco ------ Francisco C—rdoba - via degli Zingari, 39 00184 ROMA - ITALIA- tl-fx (39) 06.47.43.286 www.cordoba.it - e-mail: cordoba@tin.it