purchasing art for common folk

[kaslkaos]

Gosh, this brings back memories of the Large-Eyed Child Standing in front of the Paris Street Scene reproduction that hung for years in my bedroom. I hated it, and thought it was creepy but never complained--I can still remember the fake oil-paint texture pressed into the cardboard...
on the other hand, my parents (who obviously must have loved the thing, unless it was some kind of obscure punishment, that is) always supported my artistic efforts, including art college.
Yep, most people when looking for, and buying art are looking for mirrors, and that is why they go for representational--looks like x.
There is a formula for popular art, scientifically proven, we are creatures of the open savanna. That means, the most popular painting is a landscape with lots of sky, some trees, and pathway, road or other travel way. Visible water is very good, and maybe a prey animal (very yummy). This makes our monkey brains feel good as it presents us with food, shelter and escape route. And I could never honestly say that I would not find such a landscape compelling, but it's all so mechanical when spelled out like that...

[Basalt]

Originally Posted by kaslkaos

There is a formula for popular art, scientifically proven, we are creatures of the open savanna. That means, the most popular painting is a landscape with lots of sky, some trees, and pathway, road or other travel way. Visible water is very good, and maybe a prey animal (very yummy). This makes our monkey brains feel good as it presents us with food, shelter and escape route. And I could never honestly say that I would not find such a landscape compelling, but it's all so mechanical when spelled out like that...

I saw a book in school that surveyed a bunch of people worldwide about what they liked, showing them different paintings, and concluded it was a landscape as described above.

Anyone happen to know the name of this book?

[Keith Russell]

Originally Posted by coolside

There is a New Yorker article from 2001 about Thomas Kinkaide (he died on Friday) in which he explains what the "average person" wants/finds relevant in art they buy; he sold millions of 'art products' so is therefore the authority on selling.

Well, Damien Hirst created a work of art whose asking price was fifty million pounds (believed to be the largest price ever asked for a single work of art).

Now, I'm not a huge fan of Hirst, but I respect him as an artist far more than I respect Kinkade--and it seems to me that Hirst is a far better "authority" on marketing and selling art than Kinkade ever was.

Takashi Murakami, on the other hand, is an artist I do respect, and he too knows a thing or two about marketing and selling art--far more than Kinkade, as well...

"My art is relevant because it's relevant to ten million people. That makes me the most relevant artist in this culture...(quoting someone)'The Louvre is full of dead pictures by dead artists.' And you know, that's the dead art we don't want anything to do with!"...later in the article he says "I have faith in the heart of the average person. People find hope and comfort in my paintings. I think showing people the ugliness of the world doesn't help it." - it's a PDF: http://archives.newyorker.com/?i=2001-10-15#folio=124

[ianuk]

Life is like art and what one person sees, they see alone. No one else sees what I see, simply because no one is at the angle I am standing at the time of light and their eyes. Their visual and visceral are not as mine. No one sees through my eyes or has my unique taste. What every human being sees and feels is unique to them. They simply like what they like. We stand alone in this world and the only thing that links us is communication, that, through whatever medium to which we can relate...

And that, is why people like what that they like and, buy that which they buy...

[Horsa]

Originally Posted by kaslkaos

There is a formula for popular art, scientifically proven, we are creatures of the open savanna. That means, the most popular painting is a landscape with lots of sky, some trees, and pathway, road or other travel way. Visible water is very good, and maybe a prey animal (very yummy). This makes our monkey brains feel good as it presents us with food, shelter and escape route. And I could never honestly say that I would not find such a landscape compelling, but it's all so mechanical when spelled out like that...

This may also explain all those still lifes of yummy food, fruits especially. Fresh, ripe, fruit is Nature's candy bar.

It doesn't quite explain the popularity of the vase of sunflowers. That subject seems to be done to death. Is it just because they are bright flowers and in a painting they never wilt? Or is their a particular artistic challenge in painting sunflowers?

[Colorix]

Originally Posted by Horsa

Or is their a particular artistic challenge in painting sunflowers?

Yes, they challenge your patience and teach you to avoid subjects with *that* amount of detail...

[PictureMaker]

Some wise man has once said that if you have two pennies, one should be used to buy a rose, and the other to buy a bread, and that this will give meaning to life.

[kaslkaos]

Originally Posted by PictureMaker

Some wise man has once said that if you have two pennies, one should be used to buy a rose, and the other to buy a bread, and that this will give meaning to life.

I think that would cost about $10.00 now...

[Tatianapaints]

Why do people buy art? The list of appeals is as long as any chapter in marketing. The interesting thing is that it is very close to a completely discretionary outlay ~ so all the buying decisions have a powerful force behind them, whether they are $10 or $10 million...