One of the more eye-opening things in attending an art fair is seeing the dynamics that go onto the decision to buy a piece of art.

Put together a few thousand people, paying an entry fee to enter the fair, an assortment of dealers, and a huge diverse variety of offerings and it's an education in people watching.

The married couple:
"Do you like it?"
"Yeah, I like it- it's just what we've been looking for."
"Where would we put it?"
"We have a couple of spots that it'd fit."
"Do you really like it."
"Yeah, how about you?"
"Yeah, I kinda of like it."
"Should we get it?"
"If you want it."
(five minutes later)
"Let's think about it."
"OK" [To me] "Do you have a business card?"

The couple (not married):
Her: "Do you like it?"
Him: "Sssoright"
Her: "Where would we put it?"
Him: "Dunno."
Her: "Do you really like it."
Him: "So'OK.. Yeah, how about you?"
Her: "Yeah, I kinda, sorta, really like it."
Him: "Dunno though"
Her: "What? You don't like it?"
Him: "If you want it."
(five minutes later)
Him: "Let's think about it."
Her or Him: "OK" [To me] "Do you have a business card?"

The Single Woman (SW) with a Woman Friend:
SW: "WOW! Now, I really like this!"
Friend: "Yeah... it's nice"
SW: "It's exactly what I've been looking for!"
Friend: "I have a friend who does work just like this..."
SW: "I am really drawn to it!"
Friend: "Are you really sure you like it?"
SW: "Uh - yeah!... why? Don't you like it?"
Friend: "Yeah... it's OK"
SW: "I think it's really good... I think it's the first piece in this whole show that I really like."
Friend: "There's a few more booths we haven't seen."
SW: "I think I'm going to buy this."
Friend: "Are you sure?"
SW: "Uh - yeah!... It's a good price too.... why? Don't you like it?"
(five minutes later)
SW: "Do you have a business card?"

The Single Woman (SW) with a Man Friend:
SW: "WOW! Now, I really like this!"
Friend: "Yeah... Cool"
SW: "It's exactly what I've been looking for!"
Friend: "I think it's a lithograph" [it's actually a charcoal]
SW: "I am really drawn to it!"
Friend: "Are you really sure you like it?"
SW: "Uh - yeah!... why? Don't you like it?"
Friend: "I have something like it... I got it cheaper though..."
SW: "I think it's really good... I think it's the first piece in this whole show that I really like."
Friend: "You like lithographs?"
SW: "I think I'm going to buy this."
Friend: "Are you sure?"
SW: "Uh - yeah!... It's a good price too.... why? Don't you like it?"
(five minutes later)
SW: "Do you have a business card?"

The Single Focus Dream Buyer:
[Walks straight up to one piece, never looks at the rest of the work in your booth]
"I'll take this"
[Me] "Thank you... it's a very striking charcoal drawing - will be that be a check or charge?"
"Charge"
[Me] "I can send you more information on this artist..."
"That will be great - I love this work - it's exactly what I'm interested in!"
[Me] "I have a few more pieces here, would you like to see them?"
"No, thanks..."

The "I'm glad you're here guy (IGYHG)":
IGYHG: "Hey! I've been looking for you!"
[Me]: "Hi, how are you?"
IGYHG: "... been walking this whole fair looking for you!"
[Me]: "Yeah... lots of dealers this year... glad you found us!"
IGYHG: "Howsa been goin'?"
[Me]: "Yes... quite good actually..."
IGYHG: "Well, let me look at what you've got!"
[three minutes later]
IGYHG: "Well... I'm glad you're here... see ya next year!"


The "I Shudda Bought It Last Year Guy (Shudda)":
Shudda: "Hey! You're here again!"
[Me]: "Hi, how are you? Yeah... It's our 7th year here..."
Shudda: "... been walking this whole fair looking for you!"
[Me]: "Yeah... lots of dealers this year... glad you found us!"
Shudda: "Howsa been goin'?"
[Me]: "Yes... quite good actually..."
Shudda: "Well, let me look at what you've got!"
[three minutes later]
Shudda: "Where's that really good watercolor of the fill-in-the-blank?"
[Me]: "Uh... I sold it last year - but I have a few more pieces by that artist."
Shudda: "Ah! - I really wanted that one! Do you have another one?"
[Me]: "Well, no... it was an original watercolor, and I sold it; but I have ---"
Shudda: "I really wanted that piece; and it was a good price too..."
[Me]: "Maybe you'd like some of his new work..."
Shudda: "I shudda bought it last year"
[Walks away]
Shudda: "You gonna be here next year?"

The "Where's That Piece Guy (WTP)":
WTP: "Hey! You're here again!"
[Me]: "Hi, how are you? Yeah... It's our 7th year here..."
WTP: "... been walking this whole fair specifically looking for you!"
[Me]: "Yeah... lots of dealers this year... glad you found us!"
WTP: "Howsa been goin'?"
[Me]: "Yes... quite good actually..."
WTP: "OK... last year I saw this piece... it was a fill-in-the-bank and I should have bought it then! "
[Me]: "Yeah... that is a nice piece."
WTP: "I've been thinking about it for a whole year"
[Looks around the booth and doesn't see it]
WTP: "Do you still have it?"
[From here there are two paths...]
Path One -
[Me]: "Uh... I sold it last year - but I have a few more pieces by that artist."
WTP: "Ah! - I really wanted that one! Do you have another one?"
[Me]: "Well, no... it was an original watercolor, and I sold it; but I have ---"
WTP: "I really wanted that piece; and it was a good price too..."
[Me]: "Maybe you'd like some of his new work..."
WTP: "I shudda bought it last year"
[Walks away]
WTP: "You gonna be here next year?"
Path Two
[Me]: "Let me get it for you... I have it in the back!"
WTP: "Great"
[I bring it out and give to WTP]
WTP: "Yeah this is it! It's great!"
[Me]: "This artist has done really well this last year and ---"
WTP: [Handing it back] "Excellent! I'm glad you still have it... until what time are you going to be here?"

Michael O'Sullivan reviewed the Ana Mendieta retrospective at the Hirshhorn on Friday and makes an interesting connection in Mendieta's art.

One of seven pieces by O'Sullivan on Friday!

I'll be on the road today - heading for the last art fair that I will be doing this year.

Forgot my laptop! My not be able to post this weekend, but keep checking...

You had my heart inside of your hand - you're gonna wish you never had left me

The Controversy that won't go away.

Both Tyler Green at MAN and J.T. Kirkland at Thinking About Art, as well as Chris Shott at the Washington City Paper (who beats all other DC published media and breaks the story today), are seeing unidentified black helicopters flying between DCCAH and the Corcoran.

Not so sure myself, but as much as I trash the Post for their lack of visual arts coverage, I am still stunned that this whole controversy has been ignored so far by the world's second most influential newspaper.

I know that Jonathan Padget is working on this story for his "Arts Beat" column; but it is not scheduled to come out for another week.

Why not allow this story to be printed in the Post now, when the issue is hot!

I should know better.

If this had been a case of Septime Webre over at the Washington Ballet firing a guest choreographer because he excluded dancers that had participated in a rap video dance scene a year earlier, from the new Washington Ballet version of The Nutcracker then we'd be reading about it everyday in the Style section.

Makes my head hurt.

Letter to the Editors by James W. Bailey

To The Readers of D. C. Art News,

I have distributed the following Letter to the Editor to the national arts press, as well as the general mainstream media.

I am very appreciative of Mr. Campello allowing me to post this Letter to the Editor on DC Art News.

Sincerely,

James W. Bailey

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Should Art Curators Enjoy the Same Basic Rights of Freedom of Artistic Expression that Artists Enjoy?

by James W. Bailey

I am an experimental photographer from Mississippi who currently lives in Reston, Virginia. I am also a member of the WPA/Corcoran.

I have taken a very strong public stand in support of freedom of artistic expression for curator, Philip Barlow, who was recently fired by The Board of Trustees of The Corcoran Museum of Art and the WPA/Corcoran. Mr. Barlow was hired by the WPA/Corcoran to curate a cutting-edge exhibition called OPTIONS 05.

D.C. art critic, Mr. F. Lennox Campello, first broke this story on his blog, DC Art News, a week ago. The story was immediately picked up by D. C. art critic, Mr. J. T. Kirkland, on his blog, Thinking About Art, which has featured an ongoing debate over this issue. Mr. Tyler Green, national art critic for the Bloomberg news service, has come down firmly in support of artistic and curatorial freedom for Mr. Barlow on his site, Modern Art Notes, and opposes the actions taken by the Board of Trustees of the Corcoran Museum of Art and the WPA/Corcoran. The story is now entering into the mainstream media.

In the interests of full disclosure, I believe that I was under consideration for this major exhibition by Mr. Barlow.

Mr. Barlow is, in my opinion, a victim of curatorial censorship committed by the Board of Trustees of the Corcoran Museum of Art and the WPA/Corcoran. I believe that both artists, and curators, deserve to be protected by the same basic principles of freedom of artistic expression.

I subscribe to a definition of freedom of artistic expression that can be read on the web site of The National Campaign for Freedom of Expression: www.thefirstamendment.org/ncfe1.htm.

"Freedom of artistic expression is the principle that an artist should be unrestrained by law or convention in the making of his or her art. Artistic freedom is vital to both the cultural and political health of our society. It is essential in a democracy that values and protects the rights of the individual to espouse his or her beliefs.

Just as our nation’s free speech heritage protects the rights of artists to create, display, perform, and sell their artwork, so too does it protect the rights of the general public to dislike, criticize, and be offended by artwork. What we will call a 'challenge' to the freedom of artistic expression is more than mere criticism or commentary. A "challenge" arises when the critic takes the significant leap from merely voicing distaste of the art to questioning its right to exist or be seen, and seeking to stop its exhibition or performance.

Artistic freedom is threatened when art is challenged because of its content, message or viewpoint, rather than because of its aesthetic qualities or artistic merit. A challenge may be motivated by disagreement with the perceived message or the fear of negative public reaction. A challenge may be part of an organized effort to protest specific social issues. Challenges may come from members of the general public, representatives of organizations, or governmental officials. Challenges may also originate from within the arts community—for example, from curators, artistic directors, or funders."

The WPA/Corcoran issued a press release that justifies in their mind Mr. Barlow’s dismissal as follows:

"While it is the responsibility of a curator to exercise both professional and personal judgment in the selection of works of art, this process must be based upon the artistic merit and suitability of the works in question to the themes or purposes of an exhibition or its related materials. It is inappropriate to base curatorial decisions upon the political, social or intellectual opinions an artist may hold, upon an artist’s personal behavior, personal life, or relationship to the curator or to the institution."

My Words:

I ask your readers to substitute the word curator in the above WPA/Corcoran response with the word artist, and the word selection with the word creation. I do not know a living artist on this planet with any intellectual credibility who would embrace such a definition of artistic freedom as an artist.

I have taken a very activist stand concerning what I believe to be a blatant act of curatorial censorship regarding the WPA/Corcoran’s actions taken against Mr. Barlow.

My argument is very simple: I believe that curators should enjoy and be protected by the above definition of artistic freedom of expression and that this definition of artistic freedom for curators should be embraced by the visual arts community.

Dr. David Levy, President and Director of The Corcoran Museum or Art, and Ms. Annie Adjchavanich, Executive Director of the WPA/Corcoran, and I have agreed to disagree on this subject. I have deep respect for both of them and respect their opinions.

I firmly believe that curators should not have to operate under a different definition of artistic freedom than that that all artists of integrity would claim for themselves.

I am convinced that a national dialogue needs to take place in the art world on this subject. If anything positive comes out of this episode concerning the WPA/Corcoran and its relationship with Mr. Barlow, it will be a resultant dialogue that I hope will lead to an expansion and embracing of a consistent definition of freedom of artistic expression for both artists and curators.

I am urging The Board of Trustees of the Corcoran Museum of Art and the WPA/Corcoran to reverse its position and reinstate Mr. Barlow as curator for OPTIONS 05.

I am also offering to withdraw my name from consideration as an artist for OPTIONS 05.

Artists and curators have given their lives for the cause of artistic freedom of expression around the world.

My potential sacrifice is but a fraction of a molecule of a single drop of water from the ocean in this cause. But I will willingly make it, and more if necessary, to see the right thing be done in this situation.

Rules, policies, procedures, guidelines and laws do not create great art; nor do they inspire great artists or great curators.

Freedom of artistic expression inspires...

Sincerely,

James W. Bailey
Experimental Photographer
Force Majeure Studios
2142 Glencourse Lane
Reston, Va 20191
Ph: 703-476-1474
Cell: 504-669-8650
Email: jameswbailey@comcast.net
URL: http://jameswbailey.artroof.com

Via AJ:

It reads like a mystery novel.

"The art experts climbed four flights of stairs in a dingy block of flats in the north-west of Spain, with dwindling hopes."

When they met the old man who had responded to the Christie's ad, "He went off to hunt in a cupboard in another room, and fetch the proverbial brown envelope - and out of it came this wonderful thing."

It was an original painting by El Greco!

Read The Guardian story here.

Thursdays, according to the mid page banner on page two of the Washington Post's Style section, is supposed to focus on Art Galleries and Art News.

Over the last three years or so, the third Thursday of the month has seen the "Galleries" column do a set of mini-reviews, while the "Arts Beat" column, which used to come out every Thursday, has all but disappeared and now comes out every two weeks. I like the mini-review format once a month, but I regret the loss of the weekly "Arts Beat" column.

In today's "Galleries" column Jessica Dawson delivers a set of mini-reviews and reveals that Signal 66, one of her favorite galleries over the years, is closing at the end of the month.

However, much like the cosa nostra kiss she gave the Troyer Gallery when that gallery closed earlier this year, she sends Signal 66 away with:

"After nearly six years mounting some of the city's grittiest art shows, Signal 66 shutters its doors at month's end. More whimper than bang, the final show collects a trio of artists working in the most traditional of all media: paint."

Most commercial galleries close within a year or two; it's a tough business that is best approached realizing that if you decide to open a gallery, then expect to lose money.

Signal 66's folding is somewhat of a surprise though. It had established a good, strong footprint in our area's art scene, and being a cooperative type, artist-run gallery, it had the gallery formula that has allowed this area's longest running commercial art galleries to survive.

In fact, other than Zenith and Kathleen Ewing, I can't think of any commercial art galleries in our area that has been around for 25 years or longer that is NOT a cooperative, artist-run gallery!

Anyway, I will miss Signal 66 and the terrific contribution that they made over the last five years to our area's cultural tapestry.

P.S. By the way there are also three music and one theatre review in today's "Galleries focus" day at the Style section. They actually have more print space than Jessica's review. Does anyone understand why we keep insisting that the Post visual arts coverage sucks? You can complain to Gene Robinson, the Style section editor.