Should Art be Free?
While reading Toop’s, and Parkinson’s (2020) ’Unfinished Business: A Conversation on Sound Art in the United Kingdom’ interview it posed to me whether or not art should be work or instead, an instinct. Living in the western world of capitalism surrounded by a drive to work, our society is taught to make money. It becomes our “instinct” to create funds but for an artist should their “instinct” not be to create? I want to address the issues of being an artist within western cultures and the problems faced along the way.
To live freely within the United Kingdom we are bound down to the fact you need money to live. Toop refers to the culture of sound art as “Problematic”. His reference gives strong reflection to the economy of the art world. With Art buying being the biggest tax evasion within our western economy, many could argue this only forces the problem even further. Art’s high prices and status brings only one section of society to auction – the rich! With the rich buying art and making profit avoiding by tax, this creates an issue for many artist’s. Should their art be used for making a profit? Many could argue that this economical viewpoint takes away the focus on art and beauty its self. It’s aesthetic of the piece is shadowed by the looming force of money. This brings me back to whether or not art should even be sold at all? By selling the piece it feeds the economical morality towards the business. Only a few people gain from this and the artist themselves are not always one of them.
However, without the auction, the artist would not make a living. With the westernised expectations to succeed we are continuously forced to make money. Art not only costs to buy but also costs to sell. Materials and workspaces are not free; building up a budget for what we can and can’t create. This juxtaposes the idea that art shouldn’t be sold as it doesn’t count for the fact the artist may not even be able to create in the first place. With no income many artists would be left penniless meaning they’re unable to fund their creativity. Within the interview, Toop explains how sound art used to be referred to as “Sound Work”. This supports the idea that Art should be sold as it is a career rather than a vocation. Although on the other hand, the way he refers to the world as “problematic” creates many contrasting ideas to the rest of his points. By referring to his practice as “work” this westernises his artistic process giving it a new meaning but to create money. Art should be natural and a process that is free. Using the word “work” makes it seem like toil or hardship that is forced upon us to survive. Similarly to where art creates profit, his reference supports the idea that the economical world of art is hiding its beauty and purpose.
In reflection on this, I support the argument that making art can be “hard work” however in many cases it can not always be referred to as work. It is a lifelong practice. I hope to take this with me through my creative process and use this drive to focus my purpose of the art on its meaning and beauty and never on its price.