corruption

Read a review of this in The New Yorker this week. Book arrived today.

How artists function in a market which is geared solely toward profit, their own being secondary and not necessarily something they are even aware of, is something I’m interested in observing, but not participating in. This isn’t solely about “Big Tech,” but about all organizations which “partner” with artists to make money.

We make a product, but need someone to sell it? Yes not everyone is autonomous financially, including artists, whatever their medium. But is the exchange fair, particularly with uncommissioned, non-utilitarian work?

This is a big question, especially coming from industries who not only sell a product, but also purport to assist with a seller’s career. I don’t have a good feeling about any of it, based on a documented history of exploitation in artistic fields. There is nothing as far as I can see that is the equivalent of a normal, above board contract like in regular employer/employee relationship.

Anyway, a lot left to investigate so I can plan forward…