THE CURRENT CIRCLE OF ART

Walking through the city of Madrid back in March, before the pandemic started, and touring around well-known galleries, we came across marvellous pieces as well as overpriced trifles. I can recall one figure that was cut up by laser and made up of a bunch of propaganda stickers that were once stuck on a wall. Yes, you are reading correctly, the artist’ peeled off a thick layer of this junk, took it to his workshop, cut it off with a laser, framed it and proudly exhibited at a gallery for a very high price (from 16,000 to 38,000 euros, depending on the size). We also learnt that this artist became very valued and started to quote these rates after he was lucky to highlight his piece next to an already consecrated artist. It was not because of his trajectory or his quality or dominion of his work.

Do not get me wrong, simple art can be incredibly beautiful and complex at the same time. Having the ability to synthesize requires a great level of knowledge about a certain subject, if it is conscious and committed. I can name lots of examples of simple art, which can be summarized in lines or spots, or which can even seem made by a child to many, but which hide a great deal of work behind them. For an artist to define whether to make their art simpler or more complex, there must be years of study, work and career.

And credibility, because not everything an artist makes can be considered as a work of art. Even if it is surrounded by a justification and description of a piece of work, if it is something any untrained person can make, it cannot be considered as art. I do not accept those who make this ‘bad art’ making excuses about the anti-system, when they make them within the system. If you are in, you are a part of it, so, if they do it to differentiate themselves and draw attention, that’s their strategy, but I do not share it. This is just my opinion, of course.

There is a phrase that works to frame this: ‘Current art is the reflection of the society in which we live’, meaning simplicity, population and commercialization. It clearly matches the superfluity and consumerism ruling most parts of our society. Happily, one keeps constantly meeting people in different fields who stay away from this – people who go deep, who are moved by insignificant things, who tell it like it is and do not need to follow the herd.

I recently took part in a fair in Madrid and was joined by two talented artists from Uruguay: @antonioalzasanguinetti and @mariogiacoya. We met wonderful people and learnt so much about the art circle and how the system works. It was for sure a disappointment to see that also in art the intermediaries are the ones who win the most and risk the least. In the end, it is nothing but a big business. That is why I enjoyed taking part in this project, because one can deal with the artist directly and cut out the middleman.

All of which you have read above is my opinion and the opinion of several artists with whom I’ve had the pleasure to talk and whose vision about the subject I know. Please do not believe anything, verify all for yourselves.