General Assembly and Active Ideas Productions have begun a new educational series of panels entitled Art as Entrepreneurship. Moderated by artist and entrepreneur Annika Connor, General Assembly will host a mix of creators, investors, historians, and innovators in a monthly art discussion series. This series will address the different facets in which art and business intersect and is geared towards an audience who is interested in exploring the methods by which creative endeavors can be turned profitable.
There are a series of four panels. The first one, Art Outside the Gallery, was held last week and I had the pleasure to attend with Trevor Sumner, the co-founder of NearSay. If the first panel is any indication, the remaining three are must-see events.
Art Outside the Gallery focused on the place of technology, pop-up shops, retail venues and pop culture as alternative vehicles for promoting and selling art. It was all about thinking outside the box and encouraging artists to apply the same level of creativity to the business side as they do to the art side. It asked and answered the question "what are the ways to bring art to a broader audience outside the traditional methods?'
Moderated by Annika Connor, there were four panel members, each of whom contributed their individual expertise to the topic.
The first speaker was Jill Murphy, co-founder and director of AD Projects, an independent curatorial organization in New York which stages temporary shows in borrowed spaces – the pop-ups that have become so ‘popular’ these days. She spoke about how this approach can create opportunities for the young, emerging artist while at the same time be of benefit to both the real estate owners and the neighborhood and community. Approaches to dealing with the sometimes wary real estate owners were discussed.
Christina Tonkin followed. She is the current set decorator for Gossip Girl and had previously worked on Sex and the City. She discussed her role in acquiring art for the series and the process that goes into her choices. The impact to the artist on his or her career in terms of exposure and sales, as well as the practical business aspect of this process, were also shared. Tricky issues related to copyright and artist’s rights were reviewed.
The next speaker was the artist Richard Phillips. He is a well regarded artist who has exhibited internationally and whose work has been seen in Gagosian Gallery in New York and White Cube in London. Several of his pieces also grace the set of Gossip Girl. Phillips discussed the impact of having his artwork exposed to millions of viewers each episode, stating that it “takes on a different meaning of how art is in people’s lives.” He also discussed his proactive engagement of the media, especially with respect to his two recently released films, in terms of art being an active rather than passive media.
The evening ended with Carter Cleveland, a co-founder of Art.sy, a web-based portal designed to help the viewer to discover art that they love. It is powered by the Art Genome Project, an ongoing study of the characteristics that distinguish and connect works of art. Cleveland has combined his passion for computer science and artificial intelligence with his deep-rooted love of art to create a site that he hopes will “make kids as passionate about art as they are in music.” He discussed the possibilities of using the Internet as a tool for art for both exposure and education.
The remaining panels are:
Art as Investment: A Survey and Explanation of the Art Market
Wednesday, October 19th, 7:00-9:30pm
The Fusion of Fine Art and Fashion
Wednesday, October 16th, 7:00-9:30pm
Curating Your Corporate and Private Collection
Wednesday, December 14th, 7:00-9:30pm
All panels are held at General Assembly, which is located at 902 Broadway, 4th Floor, at 20th Street.
Tickets are $30 and can be purchased online.
