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SATURDAY EVENING POST
December 28th, 2024
In an era dominated by digital interfaces, our relationship with visual culture has been fundamentally altered. We navigate through endless streams of content on rectangular screens, our perception filtered through the constraints of digital mediation. This perpetual scroll through curated windows into the art world creates an illusion of accessibility and knowledge, yet simultaneously distances us from the authentic experience of art. While digital platforms offer unprecedented access to global art discourse, they risk reducing complex artistic expressions to mere data points in an endless feed of content.
The contemporary art experience demands more than passive digital consumption. The irreplaceable value of physical presence in art appreciation has become ever more important, establishing itself as the foundation of meaningful engagement with artistic practice. This physical connection forms the cornerstone of authentic art patronage, fostering a symbiotic relationship between artists, institutions, and audiences that transcends traditional financial support.
Consider the transformative power of direct engagement with installation and multimedia works. Rafael Lozano-Hemmer's Border Tuner (2019) exemplifies how contemporary art often requires active participation rather than passive observation. This installation, which connected El Paso and Ciudad Juárez through beams of light and sound, demonstrates that without physical presence of audience, this work, like any other, would remain merely conceptual, their potential unrealised, their impact diminished. Similarly, Urs Fischer's You (2007), with its radical intervention in gallery architecture, demands in-person experience to comprehend its full spatial and psychological impact. These works definitively challenge the notion that art can be fully appreciated through digital documentation or secondary sources.
Rafael Lozano-Hemmer's Border Tuner
The necessity of physical presence extends beyond large-scale installations to more intimate artistic gestures. Consider the subtle nuances of brushwork in painting—the tangible evidence of artistic decision-making visible in heavy impasto, the intentional manipulation of colour and medium, even the preserved imperfections where brush bristles remain embedded in paint. These physical traces of artistic process, impossible to fully convey through digital reproduction, provide crucial insight into both technique and intention. They represent the "hand of the artist," those slight imperfections that paradoxically perfect a work by evidencing its humanness.
Samson Young's Muted Situation #22: Muted Tchaikovsky's 5th further illuminates this principle. In this work, where an orchestra performs without producing traditional musical sounds, the power lies in experiencing the tension between expected and actual sound—the rustle of sheet music, the musicians' breathing, the mechanical sounds of instruments. These nuances, essential to the work's meaning, can only be fully appreciated through direct experience. This brings to mind the philosophical question: "If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" Similarly, can art fulfil its purpose without direct engagement from its audience?
We inherently understand the value of physical presence in other cultural contexts. We attend symphony performances rather than simply streaming recordings, gather for celebrations rather than sending digital greetings, and recognize that the energy of live theatrical performance cannot be replicated through screens. Yet interestingly, we often treat visual art differently, as if digital documentation suffices. This perspective fundamentally overlooks visual art's nature as a medium of direct engagement.
For those contemplating art patronage, understanding this dimension of physical presence becomes crucial. True patronage begins with direct engagement—regularly attending exhibitions, developing relationships with galleries, and experiencing works in person. This physical presence creates the foundation for informed collecting decisions and meaningful support of the arts.
The current market climate presents a particularly opportune moment for emerging patrons. Economic uncertainty often creates favourable conditions for art acquisition as market fluctuations can lead to increased accessibility to works by promising artists. Historical patterns suggest that collections built during such periods often yield substantial returns, both culturally and financially.
When individuals transition from occasional viewers to active patrons, they enter a sophisticated ecosystem of cultural exchange and potential financial appreciation. The trajectory of contemporary artists provides compelling evidence for early engagement. Consider collectors who acquired works by Kehinde Wiley or Yayoi Kusama during their emergent phases—these patrons demonstrated not only artistic insight but remarkable financial acumen. Their early support provided crucial sustenance during these artists' developmental periods while securing works that would later appreciate significantly in both cultural and monetary value.
This transformation from viewer to patron represents more than a simple transaction; it marks entry into a dynamic cultural dialogue. The commercial gallery system serves as the crucial intermediary in this exchange, providing far more than mere exhibition spaces. Galleries function as cultural incubators, nurturing artists' careers, facilitating meaningful discourse, and enabling direct encounters with art in carefully curated contexts. When individuals transition from viewers to patrons, their participation strengthens this entire ecosystem. Each acquisition reverberates through the system, supporting not just individual artists but maintaining the infrastructure essential for artistic development and discovery.
For individuals contemplating deeper engagement with the art world, several strategic considerations merit careful attention. First, patronage of mid-career artists often presents the optimal opportunity for value appreciation. While established artists' works command premium prices, artists on the ascent offer both accessibility and significant growth potential. Success in this arena depends largely on developing sustained relationships with reputable galleries that can provide informed guidance for acquisition decisions.
Second, art patronage frequently offers unique tax advantages that vary by jurisdiction. Professional financial advisors can often structure art acquisitions to provide substantial financial benefits beyond potential market appreciation. This aspect of patronage frequently surprises individuals who have not previously considered art as an integral component of their investment strategy. The intersection of cultural patronage and financial planning creates opportunities for sophisticated portfolio diversification while supporting artistic innovation.
Third, the rising prominence of corporate art collections demonstrates that patronage extends beyond personal investment to strategic institutional positioning. Companies developing art collections often discover multiple benefits: enhanced workplace environments, strengthened corporate identity, and deeper stakeholder relationships. These collections serve as tangible assets that can appreciate while simultaneously fulfilling broader organizational objectives.
As we navigate through periods of economic uncertainty, the importance of supporting cultural institutions becomes more critical, not less. The question is not whether to engage in patronage, but how to begin this rewarding journey effectively. Physical presence and financial support represent meaningful engagement with the arts. By showing up, both literally and figuratively, patrons don't merely support artists and galleries, they invest in our collective cultural future while potentially securing significant returns on their investment.
As the year draws to a close, we find ourselves at a moment of profound reflection, not merely marking the passage of time, but evaluating the strides we have made. This year emerged as a period of significant evolution and deliberate progression in our shared artistic mission.
Throughout the year, we pondered the impact of the messages we’ve shared. We've questioned whether our communications have served their highest purpose—whether they have elevated spirits while simultaneously challenging conventional thinking about our roles as cultural stewards. This introspection is not merely academic, it is fuelled by every interaction, from enthusiastic endorsements to departures (unsubscribes) from our audience. Each response, positive or otherwise, has propelled us to refine our perspective and sharpen our message, pushing us toward ever more meaningful engagement with our community. This process of deep consideration, though perhaps at times excessive, reflects our commitment to substantive dialogue.
As we stand at the threshold of a new year, we do not simply acknowledge the lessons and challenges of our past, we actively incorporate them into our vision for the future. Our call for renewed action and engagement resonates with greater urgency than ever: "Let's do more. Let's do exhibitions that reignite our passion and hope, that are grand, bold, and brave”. If we do not take it upon ourselves, who will?
We harbour no illusions about magic solutions or singular visionaries who might single-handedly transform our city's artistic landscape. True cultural transformation demands a collective commitment, a convergence of patience, perseverance, courage, substantial financial investment, and trust from each one of us. This is not merely a question of possibility; it is an affirmation of our collective capability. Reflecting on the exhibitions we have presented and contemplating those we have planned for the year ahead; your engaged participation remains not just valuable but vital. Each gallery visit, every thoughtful interaction, and every piece of art you choose to integrate into your life serves as a cornerstone in sustaining and elevating our cultural community.
In this moment of transition, we recognize that our shared artistic journey represents more than a series of exhibitions or acquisitions, it embodies our collective commitment to cultural excellence and artistic innovation. Your role in this journey, whether as patron, participant, or passionate supporter, continues to shape our cultural landscape. Our path forward requires not just reflection but renewed dedication and an active participation to enrich our community for generations to come.
UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS IN 2025
JACK BUSH: FLAUNTING THE RULES
February
BARBARA ASTMAN
April
TONY ROBINS
June
