I'm intrigued by installations.  I'm not talking about works like James Koehler who creates a  six panel work of tapestry, that I understand.  It's the large, sculptural, sometimes multi-media installations that challenge me.  It's a good thing that I'm challenged because it makes me take the time to stop, view the piece and see what it brings up for me.

I had the opportunity to see Judith Cohn's ceramic installation, "Dust to Dust" at Spark Gallery.  There is no distractions in the room.  There aren't pieces hanging on the wall, or on pedestals in the corner, there is "the piece" on the floor in the center of the room.  It's ceramic and yet to me it looked like the ceramic was made to look like paper.  That's a talent beyond words.

When I consider marketability, installations require artists to think very differently when selling their work.  Most people don't have large enough spaces to house these works so what is an artist to do?  The first obvious answer is that the artists marketing ideas have to shift from selling individual works of art.  It's not only about the space, but the transporting of the work, assembling the work and finding people/institutions that can afford a large, multi-dimensional piece.

It requires the artist to develop different marketing skills and network opportunities.  When compiling lists of potential buyers you move out of the realm of an individual and begin looking at corporate curators and museum curators.  For many who don't want to take on this type of business venture it means looking for an art consultant or representative who can go out and find the prospective buyers for you.

Big installations creates a smaller market.  I know that's an oxymoron, but so is military intelligence.

Looking to the grand scale of things...
Greg Katz

helping artists create successful and sustainable art businesses