DOI Heft:
No. 371 (February 1924)
DOI Artikel:The lay figure: on vanishing markets
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21399#0138
THE LAY FIGURE: ON VAN-
ISHING MARKETS. a 0
“So we are losing yet another of our
exhibition galleries/’ remarked the Critic.
“ How they are disappearing ! Before long
there will be hardly any decent places
where artists can show their work.” 0
“ Oh, surely that is an exaggeration,”
objected the Plain Man. “ When one
gallery is closed another opens somewhere
else. There seem to be still plenty of
exhibitions.” 0000
“ There are not nearly as many good
ones as there were years ago,” broke in
the Old Artist; “ and there are not
nearly as many places where our work
could be shown under reasonable con-
ditions. We do not get a fair chance
nowadays.” 00000
“ Yes, that is true,” agreed the Critic.
“ When works of art are exhibited in
unsuitable surroundings they necessarily
lose some of their power to attract. The
setting does count considerably, and if the
galleries which provide a proper setting
cease to be available artists are bound to
suffer.” 00000
“ That is quite certain,” declared the
Old Artist. “ We are already suffering.
How can we expect to find buyers if we
offer our works in a sort of jumble sale
where they are crowded together anyhow i
The collector that we want to get hold of
does not frequent that class of show; he
sticks to the better galleries.” 0 0
“ Apparently he does not, or else these
better galleries would not be going out of
business,” laughed the Plain Man. “ If
they paid their way why should they
shut down i” 0 0 0 0
“ A fair question,” returned the Critic ;
“ and I am afraid that the only answer to
it is that there are not enough collectors
now to keep the better type of galleries in
existence. After all, an exhibition gallery is
not a philanthropic institution with an
endowment to keep it going; it is a busi-
ness concern and if it cannot be made
to show a profit it must sooner or
later come to an end. No shop can
last long when its outgoings exceed its
receipts.” 00000
“ There you are,” cried the Plain Man.
“ What is the use of lamenting the dis-
120
appearance of art galleries when you have
to admit that there is too small a demand
for art to enable them to carry on i Where
is the sense in asking that art should be
given a proper setting when you know that
the setting is going to cost more than the
art will produce i You must either come
down to the jumble sale or chuck up the
whole thing once and for all.” 0 0
“ An unpleasant alternative,” sighed the
Old Artist; “ but one which, I am afraid,
we have to face. Yet, either way, I see no
hope for us. If we show our work in the
wrong kind of galleries we do not get in
touch with our public; if we cease to
exhibit we are forgotten. Which way
should we choose i ” 0 0 a
“ That question is very difficult to
answer,” replied the Critic. “ Obviously,
however, a gallery in which the profits on
sales do not cover the outgoings for rent,
taxes, and wages of staff, is a commercial
impossibility, and the people who run
galleries for the sale of modern art seem
to be becoming increasingly impressed
with this impossibility. That is why the
more important galleries are being diverted
to other purposes ; they are being taken
over by traders who sell things for which
there is a market.” 0000
“ Do you think there is no longer a
market for modern art i ” asked the Old
Artist. “ The dealers still handle work by
living men and show it in their galleries.
Surely they regard it as commercially
possible i” 0 0 0 0 0
“ I doubt greatly whether any dealer's
gallery could be kept in existence to-day
by sales of modern art alone,” said the
Critic. “ The dealer certainly has shows
of work by living men, but what he
makes out of them would scarcely pay his
rent. They are useful as advertisements
and they bring him fresh clients; his
real profit, however, comes from deal-
ings of which the general public know
nothing.” 00000
“ The living men advertise him, but the
dead men keep him,” chuckled the Plain
Man. “ That is the position.” 0 0
“ It is a very awkward position for us,”
returned the Old Artist. “ What are we
to do f 0 0 0 0 0
“ I really cannot tell you,” said the
Critic. The Lay Figure.
ISHING MARKETS. a 0
“So we are losing yet another of our
exhibition galleries/’ remarked the Critic.
“ How they are disappearing ! Before long
there will be hardly any decent places
where artists can show their work.” 0
“ Oh, surely that is an exaggeration,”
objected the Plain Man. “ When one
gallery is closed another opens somewhere
else. There seem to be still plenty of
exhibitions.” 0000
“ There are not nearly as many good
ones as there were years ago,” broke in
the Old Artist; “ and there are not
nearly as many places where our work
could be shown under reasonable con-
ditions. We do not get a fair chance
nowadays.” 00000
“ Yes, that is true,” agreed the Critic.
“ When works of art are exhibited in
unsuitable surroundings they necessarily
lose some of their power to attract. The
setting does count considerably, and if the
galleries which provide a proper setting
cease to be available artists are bound to
suffer.” 00000
“ That is quite certain,” declared the
Old Artist. “ We are already suffering.
How can we expect to find buyers if we
offer our works in a sort of jumble sale
where they are crowded together anyhow i
The collector that we want to get hold of
does not frequent that class of show; he
sticks to the better galleries.” 0 0
“ Apparently he does not, or else these
better galleries would not be going out of
business,” laughed the Plain Man. “ If
they paid their way why should they
shut down i” 0 0 0 0
“ A fair question,” returned the Critic ;
“ and I am afraid that the only answer to
it is that there are not enough collectors
now to keep the better type of galleries in
existence. After all, an exhibition gallery is
not a philanthropic institution with an
endowment to keep it going; it is a busi-
ness concern and if it cannot be made
to show a profit it must sooner or
later come to an end. No shop can
last long when its outgoings exceed its
receipts.” 00000
“ There you are,” cried the Plain Man.
“ What is the use of lamenting the dis-
120
appearance of art galleries when you have
to admit that there is too small a demand
for art to enable them to carry on i Where
is the sense in asking that art should be
given a proper setting when you know that
the setting is going to cost more than the
art will produce i You must either come
down to the jumble sale or chuck up the
whole thing once and for all.” 0 0
“ An unpleasant alternative,” sighed the
Old Artist; “ but one which, I am afraid,
we have to face. Yet, either way, I see no
hope for us. If we show our work in the
wrong kind of galleries we do not get in
touch with our public; if we cease to
exhibit we are forgotten. Which way
should we choose i ” 0 0 a
“ That question is very difficult to
answer,” replied the Critic. “ Obviously,
however, a gallery in which the profits on
sales do not cover the outgoings for rent,
taxes, and wages of staff, is a commercial
impossibility, and the people who run
galleries for the sale of modern art seem
to be becoming increasingly impressed
with this impossibility. That is why the
more important galleries are being diverted
to other purposes ; they are being taken
over by traders who sell things for which
there is a market.” 0000
“ Do you think there is no longer a
market for modern art i ” asked the Old
Artist. “ The dealers still handle work by
living men and show it in their galleries.
Surely they regard it as commercially
possible i” 0 0 0 0 0
“ I doubt greatly whether any dealer's
gallery could be kept in existence to-day
by sales of modern art alone,” said the
Critic. “ The dealer certainly has shows
of work by living men, but what he
makes out of them would scarcely pay his
rent. They are useful as advertisements
and they bring him fresh clients; his
real profit, however, comes from deal-
ings of which the general public know
nothing.” 00000
“ The living men advertise him, but the
dead men keep him,” chuckled the Plain
Man. “ That is the position.” 0 0
“ It is a very awkward position for us,”
returned the Old Artist. “ What are we
to do f 0 0 0 0 0
“ I really cannot tell you,” said the
Critic. The Lay Figure.