Ashley Biggs Business of Fine Art

When I was doing my research for my public art paper, I learned that Ellipsota by Robert Chambers was created thanks to the Sarasota Public art requirement that I found very interesting. Any property owner or developer who applies to the city for a building permit for construction or improvements that will cost more than $250,000 in downtown Sarasota has to make a public art contribution. I think this is a very interesting way to support artists and to keep art active in a popular community space. I can't help but wonder though if in any way this has contributed to the state of the installation as it was rather deteriorated or whether it was just normal wear and tear since it has been up for over ten years. Maybe it's so deteriorated because the company doesn't take care of it.

Last class got me thinking, when I graduate and move back to Virginia, in what ways other than in my home will I continue my arts practice? So I started looking up opportunities within the state. I found the Virginia Commission for the Arts that lists an unbelievable amount of information. They list all of the local art agencies, public art foundations, funding opportunities, and artist opportunities outside of public art. They also have information on how to write grants and advice on how to win commissions. I took a lot of interest in funding, I found that the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts has a fellowship that I can apply for while in school. I would need to apply for the graduate, but it awards $6,000. I will be looking into this website much more.

What I found interesting when doing the research on public art was that I was drawn to installations. I really appreciated pieces that the public could interact with rather than just look at. I felt it brought a sense of unity to a community to have a common experience. Rather than glancing at something on a walk or on their way to work, these public spaces allowed room for communication between members of the community. I already focus greatly on sculpture within my work so installations aren't that far of a stretch. This is the first time I've realized Ringling doesn't have any sort of installation sculpture class, although after talking with my instructor apparently there used to be one but there wasn't enough interest. I think I am going to look into creating some installations in the future.

The second week in my blog I posted about finding a gallery for my work and since then I have been finding who some of my favorite artists are represented by. My findings have mostly been that even if the work is extremely strange, those that are represented are done so by completely normal galleries. The emphasis is naturally put on the concept behind the work. What the work looks like and/or consists of is not a determining factor. Damien Hirst would be the most mainstream example I can think of. I did find one artist with an association to a very strange gallery called Macabre Gallery. I really don't know what to think of it. It will be linked below, but they supposedly specialize in 'dark art'. I do warn some of the art is somewhat graphic. http://macabregallery.com/en/about-us/

Seeing all of the older artworks at the Ringling Museum and talking about preservation made my mind go off on a tangent to the social responsibility of preserving artworks in places like Iraq and Syria. I read an academic journal about blood antiquities where collectors around the world purchase these historic pieces often without official papers. ISIS and other organizations have started stealing pieces from war torn area’s museums and digging up protected archaeological sites to sell the work for funding. The dilemma that presents itself is do collectors buy these artifacts with the goal of preserving the heritage, or do they leave them where they have a high chance of being destroyed?   What I found is Art Association for Museum Directors (AAMD) created the AAMD Protocols for Safe Havens for Works of Cultural Significance from Countries in Crisis. Owners can request a participating museum to hold the material until it can be returned to the institutions or governme...

Protest art is my jam! I was so excited to see the exhibition An Incomplete History of Protest on Whitney Museum's website. I have been told before that social commentary artwork is very difficult to get into and maintain popularity because it's very hard to stay relevant when issues change and there can be a lot of controversy. It is something I rarely see a museum as well. It is amazing that these efforts for social change are being publicly recognized and appreciated in this exhibition. I've established that this summer after I graduate I am going to go on a trip to NYC. I haven't been to any cities with a large art scene since high school. Now that I have a greater appreciation for art history after my four years at Ringling, understand more about galleries, and have a better idea of who I am as an artist I believe the trip will be extremely beneficial. It will also be my first time navigating a large city without family. Now to make an itinerary.