A A U: AMERICAN ARTISTS UNITE !!!!!!!!!!! (fwd)
Deborah Cohen
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 13 Jul 1995 20:02:34 -0400
From: Deborah Cohen <afn1...@freenet.ufl.edu>
Newgroups: rec.arts.fine
Subject: A A U: AMERICAN ARTISTS UNITE !!!!!!!!!!!
As artists. we are being outrageously exploited.
1. We are the reason for shows and exhibitions,etc. Why should we
have to pay promoters/gallery owners/towns to show our work...
THEY SHOULD BE PAYING US !
WITHOUT US THERE WOULD BE NO SHOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2. If they want us to show our work there should be no submission
fee to review our slides. What kind of scheme is it to charge us to
review our work and then , especially, not accept the work, but keep the
fee? It is a great money maker for a hole in the wall
gallery or show promoter. Oh sure, they are going to say they have to pay
the judge - big deal -(they can deduct it as an expense on their taxes)
- as an honorarium to their best buddy who took art in high school. One
hand washes the other.
WITHOUT US THERE WOULD BE NO SHOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3. Why should we pay them for a copy of the catalogue of a show
we are in? That is so ch eap. We paid to enter, send and get back the work
and often given them a commission. Do they have to stick it to the
artists to get a copy of the catalogue they are in?...speaking of which,
when is the last time a gallery wrote to say "thank you for being a part
of our show" ?????
WITHOUT US THERE WOULD BE NO SHOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4. Before you enter, do you know anything about the gallery?
Where is it located, how long in business, type of clientele, who is
going to see the show for two weeks in August? Is it going to be hung in
their basement or worse - - not hung at all? Don't think I'm joking !!
A "gallery" in western New York is a "gallery" in name only. It does not
exist. Yet it advertises a call to artists in national magazines and
newsletters. I've seen them in Florida official government art
publications. It "displays" the accepted pieces (yes, you pay him to see
your slides, and pay for transportation each way, etc) on the floor of a
prior high school, now empty !!!! He has also displayed them leaning
against his garage. He does it year round...Great way to
make money...get artists to pay for having work reviewed for a phoney show.
Even when the shows are "legit", what art buyer is going to go to "The 35th
annual multi-media landscape/seascape/anyscape show in Podunk Corners for
the 2nd week of August?
WITHOUT US THERE WOULD BE NO SHOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5. Why should , for instance, a weekend show ( or any length) promoter
charge the public admission to come see our work and yet pay the artists
no fee to show the work? They are collecting big bucks at the door/gate.
Why, as professionals, should we donate our time to them? Would a bunch
of lawyers travel to a location, sit around, answer questions for free,
be the "drawing card" (no pun intended) and have the promoter collect a
fee and expect the lawyers to donate their time as professionals just for
the priviledge of meeting and greeting the public and putting cash in
some else's pocket? If you don't feel that you are a professional and
deserve to be paid for your time, you should'nt be wasting your time with
this posting. Go flip pancakes .
WITHOUT US THERE WOULD BE NO SHOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
6. Exorbitent fees, minimal prizes (that you contributed), no
double-checking that they didn't give the prize to favorite "Auntie Tillie"
for her clown portrait? How much prize money of ours was collected for
them to give out? How much did they give out? To whom? For what?
WITHOUT US THERE WOULD BE NO SHOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7. We don't have to accept RUDE, INCONSIDERATE proprietors of art
galleries (whom I call TZARINAS or TZARS) who treat you like dirt, often
don't return slides, phone calls or put you or your work down.
Currently, they take 50 to 60% (which means they are also getting a nice
mark-up on your framing). Is your work being show in the main salon..or
is it in storage in the back room? They are tying up your creations and
income. Who is gonna buy if it isn't visible? Does the gallery have
insurance? By what right do they demand exclusivity over any geographic
area if they don't advertise and heavily promote and SELL your work?
ETC.,ETC.,ETC.,
WITHOUT US THERE WOULD BE NO SHOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
+++++++THIS IS NOT SOUR GRAPES ! I am a professional artist. I will not
be exploited. If you want to be , that is up to you. You may be desperate.
Maybe you are inexperienced and hungry, but I urge you to hold out for
fair and dignified treatment.
Please think about this, save my e-mail address, respond if you can and
post this to galleries and especially other artists.
Artfully and Creatively Yours,
debOrah
Andrew Werby
Deborah Cohen <afn1...@freenet.ufl.edu> writes:
>
>Subject: A A U: AMERICAN ARTISTS UNITE !!!!!!!!!!!
>
>As artists. we are being outrageously exploited.
> 1. We are the reason for shows and exhibitions,etc. Why should we
>have to pay promoters/gallery owners/towns to show our work...
> THEY SHOULD BE PAYING US !
> WITHOUT US THERE WOULD BE NO SHOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 2. If they want us to show our work there should be no submission
>fee to review our slides. What kind of scheme is it to charge us to
>review our work and then , especially, not accept the work, but keep
the
>fee?
[Bravo, Deborah. I have been wondering what, besides boycotting
"opportunities" that charge a fee, could be done about this degrading
custom. Perhaps you could send the producers and jurors of these
parasitic events a version of your "American Artists Unite" manifesto.
Perhaps we all should. Maybe a series of posters, done with some style
and wit, like those of the "Guerilla Girls", would have some impact on
this problem. The reasons that art shows generally charge fees are
simple - they feel they can get away with it, there are a lot of
desperate artists out there, and everybody else does it. Until they can
be made to feel ashamed of themselves for taking advantage of artists,
they will keep doing so. Until a number of artists get off their knees
and tell them loud and clear: "WE WILL NOT SUBMIT!", and the public
realizes that the "chosen ones" they are seeing are only chosen from a
pool of self-admitted losers, the exploitation will continue.]
Andrew Werby - United Artworks
Deborah Cohen
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 13 Jul 1995 20:02:34 -0400
From: Deborah Cohen <afn1...@freenet.ufl.edu>
Newgroups: rec.arts.fine
Subject: A A U: AMERICAN ARTISTS UNITE !!!!!!!!!!!
As artists. we are being outrageously exploited.
1. We are the reason for shows and exhibitions,etc. Why should we
have to pay promoters/gallery owners/towns to show our work...
THEY SHOULD BE PAYING US !
WITHOUT US THERE WOULD BE NO SHOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2. If they want us to show our work there should be no submission
fee to review our slides. What kind of scheme is it to charge us to
review our work and then , especially, not accept the work, but keep the
fee? It is a great money maker for a hole in the wall