INTERVIEW
In the past, the creation of Art, design, lifestyle... works of art was intended only Which are the boundaries for the “happy few”, as we for each notion and where may have called them today. do you place the common Do you consider that the perimeter between these situation has changed today? notions today? Is art an individual occupation It is common sense to consider or a societal one? as artists the designers if they call themselves “artists”… Milton GlaWe are talking about two differser noted in a 1974 interview that ent worlds. Nowadays, the happy Structure de la Pensée #4 by Erick Derac whereas a design must convey few have the means and the net- - Courtesy The ArtFloor Gallery a given body of information, the work, they are able to collect, be“essential function” of Art is to “intensify one’s perception come consultants or curators of large institutions. They of reality.” Sometimes, he said, these functions coincide, make the trends and also dictate the policy of instituas in a medieval stained glass window, but in modern tions. Most of museums have board of directors from times they have diverged. I now do not subscribe to this the private sector (like in the US) or are sponsored (or point of view, contemporary artists have become muleven owned) by powerful collectors that will “kindly” tidisciplinary and their work has to be considered as a insist that their collections would be valued through whole which means that Art can be dealing with comexhibitions. The rest of art amateurs include the followfort, aesthetics and also concepts all together. ers that will enjoy buying a work produced by Murakami’s studio thinking that it is by the hand of the artist. Real art connoisseurs are also in this category, those Which is the role of the media in the “shape who visit museums for the pleasure of viewing works. of the things to come”? How do you evaluate their ability to influence other players in their Even if the market makers are still an elite, the situation investment strategies (private and institutional has really changed today while the numerous exhibicollectors, galleries, individuals, etc.)? tions, shows and fairs- not to mention the Web- have given access to Art to a very large public. Almost 7 The media has an incredible role in reshaping the marmillion art lovers visited The Met in New York City last ket, especially in troubled economic times while nonyear and 10 million went to The Louvre in Paris. aware investors will tend to follow those they consider in-the-know. The great press coverage of the exhibitions also encourages collectors to lend their works to Do you consider that art occupies an important value their collections. The media has brought people part in our lives? Can we live without it? to compete on figures more than any kind of aesthetic From design to advertising, Art is almost everywhere, approach. We read more about exhibitions attendancyou’d better live with it, even passively! Historically, it has es and auction sale prices than about the works themalways served as a mean to express personal views selves. Websites such as ArtPrice provide the clients on politics, war, social inequities, the human condition with the results of most of the largest auctions around and it is even more noticeable nowadays. the world. Any collector is aware of the quotation of an I have always considered that mainstream people artist. Make no mistake, despite the overflow of informashould be taught Contemporary Art because it really tion about prices, the art market is still opaque… helps thinking out of the box!
EUROPEANBUSINESSREVIEW
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