So what's the big deal? The big deal is that this was begun by Arthur Polachek and a few friends half a century ago. The big deal also is that, in a time when money is a bit hard to come by, some really good original art is available at reasonable prices. Yes, there are not a few very early-in-the-bud people there offering 'art' as they see it. Consider that some of Piet Mondrian's pencil drawn boxes on that wide lined paper they issue to first graders played at the Gugenheim, so you could possibly get a real gem. When it comes to 'photography,' the answer is, "No." The committee has not as yet taken this one on (and I believe that they should have long ago), even though the world of two professional photographers has. Simply, anything you can make a ton of copies of is not an 'art' but a 'craft.' A couple of centuries ago lithographers got this one in hand by limiting the number of etchings they produced, then numbering and signing them. Editions for the highest quality photographs now have tumbled from one or two hundred prints to a dozen for the better photographers. The point is, when it comes to photos, take a long look at what you're buying. Tell folk about this please - there are no funds for advertising this year. See you there! PS - yes, there are paintings by Artanis out there, and now they get a pretty good price. They were painted by Frank Sinatra. |