NYC Storefront Models

[Bexley]

That's why I dropped out of art school. Had I stayed, my senior show would have been titled, "How I Faked My Way Through Art School." I just made whatever I thought looked "cool" or gave me enjoyment, and then made up the meaning afterwards to get the grade. Had I known better going in, I would have looked for a commercial art/illustration program, which would have been much closer to what I wanted to learn. (To be fair, though, the experience eventually did point me in the direction I went, which eventually led to what I do now, so it's not like it was completely useless.)

[granitechops]

.  .  ...   ...   Having said that once you are "exhibited",
you can never use the term "Arty" again;
you see it's such a derogatory term, dismissive at its most benign - spiteful and naive at best.
Just being all temperamental and defensive you understand.............
Congrat's again............... well done.

Interesting
to my mind, "Arty" doesent apply to an artist, its more "Arty Crafty" with the emphasis on the crafty bit, like the tongue in cheek aproach to assemblages that are called art, but in fact appear to be chances to cash in on the moneyed people with more money than taste.
Ask yourself why living artists got so little from their work while alive?
And their  works only appreciated after their death?
Take the Mona Lisa, in an Art Dealers eyes, while still alive if Leonardo had decided to do 5 or 6 duplicates in their eyes they could not so easily have sold it as a "one off" or
Valuable "Collectors piece".
Having worked on the fringes of the collecable diecast market, can I observe that it is wonderful to observe two collectors trying to out do each other if you have a collection of "rare pieces" that they just have to have as the only example of in their collection

[Andi Little]

"Arty" doesent apply to an artist, its more "Arty Crafty" with the emphasis on the crafty bit,

......................Ta-dah! And therein lies my premise. In truth the initial statement was made really quite tongue-in-cheek, and also to introduce an element of levity into an otherwise (highly) volatile subject. But the truth is as you quote it. "Arty" is usually understood to be a pretty low-brow designation, and when applied to a Fine Art circumstance really does come across as basically - "a smack in the chops".
Art is an intensely subjective area of appreciation and understanding. Personally I think Art is something that should be understood instinctively, I honestly don't think it should have to be explained: and on this level those store-fronts pieces work .... BUT, as I mentioned they will only take on their true value when they are viewed from outside of the cultural and social context within which they were created. At the present time the greatest impact is from the comparison to the photographs, and the artistic strength comes from the recreation of that scene, and the subsequent placement of that reality into a galleried environment: thus making the assemblage simply a pastiche of reality - but in effect it actually becomes [intellectually] "a found object".
As time passes and we lose contact with the social conventions of the period, the greater the value {intrinsic} of the piece, simply because of the change of viewpoint. remember at its base level the "Mona Lisa" was nothing but a portrait - by today's standards a photo! Only with the passage of time has it accrued a value beyond its net worth, and if you're unsure? Explain the glee with which we all paw over period sepia images, photos of down town Detroit during the Motown years [et-al] - this is the essence of Fine Art over Craft, no matter how sublime that craft may be!

Apologies to all for the clumsy explanation - as I must dash: I've got class in 10min's....... oo-er!

[granitechops]

"Arty" doesent apply to an artist, its more "Arty Crafty" with the emphasis on the crafty bit,

...................... Explain the glee with which we all paw over period sepia images, photos of down town Detroit during the Motown years [et-al] - this is the essence of Fine Art over Craft, no matter how sublime that craft may be!
- as I must dash: I've got class in 10min's....... oo-er!

Well in my case the pleasure comes from seeing the historic scene as it actually was,( unless photo staged of course) as opposed to some modern dramatist portraying it as an authentic scene, which they did not see as an eye witness.
I love the questions such photos raise, such as why is that urban scene deserted, what time of day was it taken? early before the crowds were about?, or a holiday? why were changes made to that building for example etc., etc.Hope your class went well!