Art Surfing
Porn aside, my main Web surfing activities are viewing art. Despite the fact that art either looks better, worse or the same captured online versus in person, gallery window shopping is still tremendously satisfying via the World Wide Web (amazing how that term died completely).
I've bought art a couple times having only seen it first in emailed JPGs. Mind, any reputable gallery would take the work back if I was disappointed when standing in front of the work. In my own experience good paintings only become profoundly better, of course, when physically in front of you, while bad paintings can have their awfulness hidden by the flattering lack of depth or detail inherent in digitally viewed photographs.
In any event, amidst the many bookmarks I have for galleries or individual artists' sites, is this gem (link below), which has SO many artists represented from every corner of the world. The stuff ranges from wide eyed cats looking sad next to spilled milk to work of unparalleled skill and artistic ability.
I find the site to be just slow enough to be annoying (which is a surprise given what gallery hosts it -- but it's likely because I'm using a Mac, perhaps) as one has to jump back and forth from pages viewed to the main list, but I can spend VERY large amounts of time on this site, especially as many (but again annoyingly not nearly enough) artists have links to their own Web sites where you can view more examples of their work, and usually in larger format.
The sheer expanse of works, the number of artists listed... It's art porn really.
I've started conversations with artists from London to Tel Aviv to Germany to Huston inquiring after their works, following the "contact" links. And come close to buying. More often the firm decision to buy has crumbled once galleries email me prices. One work was $18,000 US, for example. Sheesh.
Anyway, if you're so inclined, jump in:
http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/yourgallery/
PS -- there's a "square foot" show at a AWOL gallery in Toronto this weekend -- all works no larger than a square foot and no more than $200. Check it out here: http://www.awolgallery.com/
Such shows are a great way to start a collection by finding new artists with work at prices much less than that Ikea framed poster you've been considering.
I've bought art a couple times having only seen it first in emailed JPGs. Mind, any reputable gallery would take the work back if I was disappointed when standing in front of the work. In my own experience good paintings only become profoundly better, of course, when physically in front of you, while bad paintings can have their awfulness hidden by the flattering lack of depth or detail inherent in digitally viewed photographs.
In any event, amidst the many bookmarks I have for galleries or individual artists' sites, is this gem (link below), which has SO many artists represented from every corner of the world. The stuff ranges from wide eyed cats looking sad next to spilled milk to work of unparalleled skill and artistic ability.
I find the site to be just slow enough to be annoying (which is a surprise given what gallery hosts it -- but it's likely because I'm using a Mac, perhaps) as one has to jump back and forth from pages viewed to the main list, but I can spend VERY large amounts of time on this site, especially as many (but again annoyingly not nearly enough) artists have links to their own Web sites where you can view more examples of their work, and usually in larger format.
The sheer expanse of works, the number of artists listed... It's art porn really.
I've started conversations with artists from London to Tel Aviv to Germany to Huston inquiring after their works, following the "contact" links. And come close to buying. More often the firm decision to buy has crumbled once galleries email me prices. One work was $18,000 US, for example. Sheesh.
Anyway, if you're so inclined, jump in:
http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/yourgallery/
PS -- there's a "square foot" show at a AWOL gallery in Toronto this weekend -- all works no larger than a square foot and no more than $200. Check it out here: http://www.awolgallery.com/
Such shows are a great way to start a collection by finding new artists with work at prices much less than that Ikea framed poster you've been considering.
posted by Heipel at
12:17 AM
2 Comments:
i hope all the paintings(good ones) have to be pricy...so SOMEONE can't buy anymore...woops...
just kidding....
fun ! thanks for the link, and for visiting my blog!
here's an artist friend of mine who has her own site. i just bought two pieces from her, so who knows, maybe you'll like some of her stuff as well:
http://www.kaorikasai.com
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