Ethics for Artists
Transcript of Ethics for Artists
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Ethics for Artists
The discussion of ethics in the art world has come up numerous times recently. Since all
participants have a stake, I am going to start with my suggestions for artists. In another
post, I will discuss ethics for other participants.
Having worked on just about all sides of the fence in the art world, I can say that I have
run across the most amazing things being done to artists, as well as things artists do to
each other. In the vertical career trajectory, climbing the ladder is taken very seriously by
those climbing. Those at the top have to watch who is climbing up behind them, as well
as who they are trying to step over to get to the very top. There are only so many options
for getting to the top of one's career by the standards set up by the gate keepers. Gate
keepers have their own set of rules to climb by. With everyone rushing to the top, and
with only so many slots to fill, ethics often get overlooked. Here are some things I see
often, and want artists to consider when making certain choices of how to proceed.
Jacob's Ladder, William Blake
Treating Colleagues With Respect
Contrary to what some artists believe, curators, galleries, funders and the art world are
not merely a support structure. They are, rather, partners in your creative pursuit. One
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unflattering aspect of many artists is their attitude of entitlement. They think the world
"owes" them support, but it is simply not true.
If you are perceived as self important, you may get a reputation as difficult to deal with,
and curators will lose interest, even if your work is strong. Respect their space. They haveopinions and ideas of their own, and are not in the business of giving deference to ego.
Having good relationships with colleagues is important, and a collaboration is much
more gratifying for both parties. Listen to what others have to say, and consider your role
in the relationship.
Charlie Brouwer, 2009, Old Salem, www.secca.org
Don't Be Selfish
Many artists are secretive about what they know and actively avoid sharing their
knowledge. If you know an artist whose work fits the prospectus of an exhibition, by all
means, let them know about it. Keeping information to yourself only hurts you in the
long run. Artists who share information with each other get much further and developexcellent reputations. It is hard to be an artist, so be generous with your friends.
Don't Tread on Other Artists' Spaces
It is inappropriate to solicit interest in your work at someone else's event, or at a party.
Handing out postcards to your show at someone else's opening is tacky. It is okay to give
one or two to a friend, but do not stand at the door and hand out your announcements. If
you share a studio with other artists, don't invade their studio visits with curators. That is
their time. It's OK to say hello, but don't drag the curator into your own studio to look at
your work.
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Leaving a Gallery
How you leave a gallery can be really important. If your gallery has been supportive, treat
them with respect and dignity. At least show appreciation for your partnership. Leave in
a way that will honor your own integrity. Many artists leave newer galleries to partner with bigger galleries that have established reputations. Often an artist thinks the latter
will help them advance their careers, but some smaller galleries will work harder for their
artists than a gallery with a large roster. Do your research because this may not be the
case for you, and gallery hopping will not necessarily strengthen your resume.
Reasons to leave a gallery are: not getting paid; your dealer is not actively pushing your
work; other artists in the roster have lowered the quality of their work; personality
conflict with the gallery or its staff; a breakdown in communication that cannot be
rectified; or the reputation of the gallery changes.
Make sure when you decide to leave your gallery you have all the right paperwork and
agreements in order. You will need to make sure the gallery returns all your work in a
timely manner, pays you for any pending sales invoices, provides accurate records of all
sales transactions of your work, and returns any materials, portfolios, or other things you
have at the gallery. Depending on your relationship with the gallery, you may need to
reconcile bills you owe to the gallery, like charges for framing or fabrication expenses.
Galleries That Tell You What To Make
Many artists have faced the dilemma of having their gallery dictate what kind of workthey make. If a gallery encourages you to paint like another artist, or asks you to make
five more of those yellow paintings because they sell well, you may be shortchanging your
career. This kind of production decreases the value of important work and makes it
appear as if you are just making work to sell instead of making work because it advances
your practice. Think carefully before you go into production as a commercial artist.
On the other hand, if you have entered into an agreement with a gallery and the
agreement stipulates that your work maintain its current conceptual/material attributes,
you may need to renegotiate your contract or consider working with the gallery to make
them better understand how your practice is shifting. Be true to your own vision, and
change galleries if this persists.
Using Other People's Images
An ongoing problem, which has increased dramatically because of the Internet, is that
artists use other people's images without giving the artist any credit, or not changing the
image enough to make it distinct from the original. Copyright infringement is actually
quite serious, so if you are not sure of what is legal and what is not, be sure to check out
the GYST copyright section. www.gyst-ink.com
Also, while not illegal, making work that looks like someone else's is unethical.
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Sometimes this happens unknowingly. But, if you saw a great image in Artforum, and
then you remade it as your own, you are charging into unethical territory. It is, of course,
permissible to give homage to another artist and to demonstrate your influences, but be
aware of the gray areas of appropriation.
Don't Steal Other People's Ideas
Here is an exemplary anecdote. A visiting artist came to an art school and did a lecture
and studio visits. He met with a young artist whose work was very specific and distinct. A
few months later, the visiting artist opened a show in New York that was a direct copy of
the student's work. Since the visitor was a fairly well known artist, and few people knew
the work of the student, the established artist got great attention. That is, until the
students and faculty at the school made sure that the art world knew what had taken
place. Needless to say, the established artist's reputation has suffered.
Artist Martin Puryear, "Ladder for Booker T. Washington"
Giving Back Showing at nonprofit organizations, which are generally supportive of emerging artists, is
a good way to start out an art career. Nonprofits also tend not to require a percentage or
take a small amount of any sales. If work does sell, it is smart for you to donate part of the
sale of the work to the nonprofit, as they have spent time and money to support you.
Once you are more established, consider giving back to those organizations that
supported you at the beginning of your career. This way they can continue to support
other emerging artists.
Do What You Say You Are Going To Do
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If you say you are going to do something at a certain time, do not be late. If for some
reason you have a really good excuse, call and let the other person know you are running
late.
Other people have busy lives too, and if you do not show up with your work on time, you
throw a wrench into everyone else's schedule and they are forced to work around you.
You never know what kind of trouble you can generate when you do not follow through.
Desperation
A gallery owner can smell a desperate artist a mile away. Some commercial galleries
thrive on desperate artists, asking them to pay fees for submitting work (see vanity
galleries and juried exhibitions). Some galleries are now telling emerging artists that they
will need to take 90 percent of the sales, giving the excuse that is costing them a lot more
money to promote them as an emerging artist. Steer clear of any agreement giving you
less than half of all sales!
Avoid appearing desperate. Don't send unsolicited work to galleries. Don't rush to sign
contracts without reading them and having a lawyer look at them. Remember, all careers
go through ups and downs. The trick is to stay smart and level headed in both good and
bad times.
Bitterness
Exuding bitterness about your career is unhealthy and unproductive. It's hard to work
with artists who constantly complain. If you are bitter, it is best to keep it to yourself.
The art world is a tough place, and you need to constantly work around obstacles,
whether it is your health, a family issue or a job that gets in the way of being an artist.
Instead of complaining, change your tactics, look at your career in a different way, and be
pro-active.
Keep a diary, visit a therapist, and talk to a mentor. There are appropriate places to
productively state and address your personal problems and flagging career.
Do Not Talk Shit The art world is a teeny tiny place, and if you talk shit about other people at art openings,
it may get back to them. Be wary of how you come across to others when you engage in
this activity. Your personality can have a direct effect on whether people will want to
work with you.
Be Professional
Your opening is an important time to have your sh*t together. Do not be unreasonably
late. Most viewers come to see you, not just the artwork. If someone drives across town
and they can only come early because they have somewhere else to be, and you are not
there, they might not do it again the next time you have an opening. Also, do not get
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drunk at your own opening. Be alert and calm.
While it is tempting to only talk to your friends or family at your openings, be aware that
this is a time for you to talk to people uninitiated to your work. If you are showing at a
commercial gallery the gallery director will probably want you to talk with critics,curators and collectors in attendance. So say hi to friends and family, be gracious, but
also work to promote your work, meet people, make connections, and talk to strangers.
UK artist Banksy
Criticism and Rejection
Remember that if you are not getting rejected, you are not applying enough. Contrary to
the typical emotional reaction, rejection should not be taken personally--and may not
even be a reflection on the quality of your work. Always try to get feedback on your
proposals. Some funders do not allow this, but most will offer comments and, even if it is
not their policy to provide explanation, they will respect the question. It may simply be
that they are still unfamiliar with your work, or they have recently done too many shows
of work similar to yours, or there was not enough information in the application. It is also
important to know that most funders have a committee of your peers (other artists,
curators, etc.) who rotate with each review panel. Hence, the makeup of the review
committee can greatly influence how your work is received. It could be that you just needa little more experience. Do NOT give up applying for grants and other funding. Do NOT
give up on applying for shows. Doing your research and making sure your work fits the
application requirements is one of the most important aspects of getting grants and
exhibitions. If you find out why you were rejected, you may be able to make changes, and
reapply next year.
When you make a follow-up call, especially following a rejection, make sure that the
receiver has time to chat with you. Other people in the arts are often understaffed and
very busy. Some foundations only have one or two employees. Be courteous, and if theyare busy, ask them when you can call back. Do not argue with them and just listen. You
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can ask a clarifying question, but remain professional at all times. You can learn a lot
from the experience.
Deception
Deception can ruin a career. Don't lie about your past achievements on your resume
because doing this will eventually come back to haunt you. Don't make sales behind yourdealer's back and don't lie to collectors about work. If you make art out of materials that
will decompose, you should disclose this to your dealer, the curator and the museum. Do
not misrepresent the materials. Getting sued over a good joke is no laughing matter.
David Nash, Ladder, Espoo, Finland
Artwork on Private Property
Creating artwork on someone else's fence, house, or other property is an issue that you
should consider. Graffiti and tagging may be a valid art form, but it is expensive to paint
over and clean up. Public property is just that--public; consider how your work will affect
others in the community. Always be respectful of private property.
Don't Take Advantage of Others
Making art that hurts others--such as hurting people to get a good image, or making
children cry to get a great shot--should be considered carefully. If you are working with
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adults, get permission and make sure that they understand what you are doing. Get them
to sign a model release form. If you are working with children you will need their parents
to sign a release form. If you do work with kids or those who are challenged in some way,
be very careful when using manipulative tactics. You have no idea what terrors you are
setting up for their future.
Eco Art
When making landscape art, you should consider if you are actually damaging the flora
and fauna. Making an ecological statement, while at the same time destroying the very
thing you are working on, is a contradiction. This seems obvious, but it happens all too
often.
Privacy
Any work that affects the privacy of an individual should be cleared with that person
before being shown. This is the purpose of release forms. Also, consider what it means to
use someone else's image in your work, and how it may affect that artist. Getting sued
over the use of an image should always be avoided.
Artist Kerry Skarbakka
Safety of Your Audience Do not use materials that are harmful to you or your audience. Certain chemicals, mold,
and other materials may severely affect people with allergies, people with weak immune
systems, and children. If you need to use something that might be potentially dangerous,
make sure you inform the audience and the gallery with noticeable signage. (See
Experimental Materials section).
Documentation That Includes the Audience
It is important to notify your audience if you document your show and record interactive
relationships with your audience. If an individual's likeness is clearly identified, you may want to get them to sign a release form.
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Graphic Images
If you are showing work at a space where families gather, you may want to consider how
to present the work if it is not appropriate for children. Signage is a good way to warn
parents that they are entering territory that may be disturbing to children.
Graduate Work
Sometime galleries do not show work made in school, even if it is a graduate show. One
reason is that they may be avoiding work that reflects a collaboration of ideas between
faculty and peers. Some galleries will want to show work that is "totally yours". Also,
certain funders prohibit support of student work.
Chinese Ladder, unknown
Thank Those Who Support You
Everyone likes to be thanked. Be sure to thank the curator, dealer, or funder. You should
at least thank them in person, but a nice note is really special. If you are in an exhibition
that publishes a catalog, consider using this as an opportunity to thank those people who
helped you with the exhibition. If you get rejected for a grant, or a show, writing a thank
you note for allowing you to apply might help them to remember you in the future. If you
do not get the teaching job, thank them for the interview. You do not have to beextravagant, just make sure that they know you respect their support.
Asking For Things
From time to time, you will need someone to write you a letter of recommendation.
When you ask someone to write a letter, do NOT wait until the week it is due. If they say
yes, be sure to send them all the pertinent details: who the letter should be written to and
the description of what you are applying for. Make sure to give them plenty of time to
write the letter. Be sure to include information about yourself, particularly if they have
not seen your latest body of work, or if you have additions to your resume, which may be
helpful in a letter. It is a good idea to keep in contact with those whom you may request a
letter from. Consider how selfish it will appear to request support from someone you
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have not reached out to in a long time. Be generous, and others will reciprocate.
How To Treat Established Artists
It is not the job of your former teacher or other artists to get you into a gallery. If you ask
someone to recommend you, do not do it out of the blue. Make sure that your colleague iscomfortable with supporting your work, and do not expect them to say yes. Artists have a
limited number of recommendations that they can use with the people they know. Do
your homework, have them over to your studio, and try to wait for them to bring up the
subject.
Art Agents
Beware of dealing with art agents. They may say they can help your career, but consider
this:
An up and coming artist who was starting to do quite well in their career was contacted
by an agency. They offered to help secure shows, do PR and basically make the artist's
career. What the artist may or may not have known is that the agents were buying out the
shows before they opened. The artists became so desired, because of this market
manipulation, that he had shows set up all over the world. Once it was found out that the
agents were dealing in fraudulent practices, it destroyed his career. Always be aware of
your agents' practices.
Editions
There are laws that govern editions. Editions must be declared at the time they are made.Buyers must be notified of the number of editions in writing. DO NOT make additional
prints or photos after you have declared the edition size. Be aware of the consequences of
such actions.
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Artist Francesca Dimattio, "Ladder"
Blind Submissions and Approaching Galleries
Less informed artists tend to submit portfolios/packages blindly to galleries or art
professionals in order to achieve some sort of instant fame. That is tantamount to
sending a message in a bottle out to sea. Most success in the art world is made through
being active in the art community and through its extensive referral system.
No gallery owner, director, assistant director, or intern will do a bunch of busy work for
you for free, including critiquing your art, web site, making suggestions about how to
have an art career, and connecting you with their collectors/clients/curators. A dealer
will only do the above after representing you as an artist in their roster and after a
business relationship is established. Otherwise, why would a dealer suggest someone to
their business clients without knowing who you are, what you are capable of producing,
how you are to work with, how you handle deadlines? They need to know what you are
like in person, and how your reputation is regarded in the larger art world. Regardless of
what a dealer thinks of your art, they will not jeopardize their existing business
relationships and reputation by referring a complete stranger.
Instead of wasting your own time and the time of a gallery, focus on art-making by
getting into the studio, having studio swaps with colleagues and peers, volunteer at a
local nonprofit, go to art openings, go to local lectures/symposiums that are of
interest...basically engage with the community. Along the way, you will meet plenty of
people, make connections, and open the doors to many opportunities. This is a tried and
true way to get galleries, sales, teaching referrals and all kinds of other good stuff for your
career. The art business works on connections and referrals. So be on your toes, begenerous, and above all, be a professional.
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Shady Collectors
Some collectors may try to negotiate with you at an opening to try to get a price break.
Beware of this practice, as it may violate your contract with the gallery, whether written
or implied. Send the buyer to the dealer and let them work it out. After all, it is thegallery's responsibility to sell at their venue.
Some "collectors" may artificially inflate their importance to get steep discounts. Never
sell yourself short. It's ok to give small 10-20% discounts for known collectors, but
anything more than this is unnecessary.
Karen Atkinson is the founder of GYST Ink, a faculty member at CalArts, and teaches
professional practices workshops around the country.
For more information on professional practices for artists, see the GYST (Getting Your
Sh*t Together) website at http://www.gyst-ink.com.