Read the Beforeitsnews.com story here. Advertise at Before It's News here.
Profile image
By engaged living
Contributor profile | More stories
Story Views
Now:
Last hour:
Last 24 hours:
Total:

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SELL OUT?: Reflections on the Sell Out? exhibit at the Ottawa Art Gallery

% of readers think this story is Fact. Add your two cents.


This article was published in The Mindful Word journal of engaged living (http://www.themindfulword.org)

Yvonne McKague Housser – Evening, Nipigon River (1943), silk-screen, private collection  (Housser was not a member of the Group of Seven, but painted oil landscapes as they did)

People often use the term “sell out” in reference to artistic works—generally to suggest an artist has compromised their originality to gain money or fame. The concept of selling out is the central theme of the Ottawa Art Gallery’s current exhibit “Sell Out?” The exhibit features the commercial work of various well-known Canadian visual artists of the past, including members of the Group of Seven and Emily Carr, a close associate of the group. The gallery’s Senior Curator, Catherine Sinclair, has chosen a selection of commercial work to display, leaving it up to viewers to decide whether they feel the artists sold out or not.

The Group of Seven, as well as creating commercial works, also created non-commercial oil paintings of Canadian landscapes throughout their careers. They are still renowned for these, but they, along with the other artists featured in the exhibit, also participated quite extensively in commercial artwork, such as book illustration. They also partnered with the Canadian National Railway and the Canadian Pacific Railway to promote rail travel throughout the country. They did this by producing enticing landscape scenes to lure people to Canada’s relatively unexplored areas. Eventually, some of the members went so far as to create brochures and posters promoting the railways and the tourist attractions located along their lengths. One well-known poster is Bon Echo Inn, pictured below, created by A.Y. Jackson. The group, especially A.J. Casson and Franklin Carmichael, also created advertisements and cartoons for established Canadian printing companies and in the 1920s, crafted a series of Christmas cards for Rous & Mann, Ltd.

A.Y. Jackson – Bon Echo Inn (1924), colour serigraph paper, National Gallery of Canada

Another project the Group of Seven took on, as did many other Canadian artists, was creating silk-screened paintings of Canadian landscapes, which were displayed at military bases to remind soldiers of home. One of the most acclaimed paintings of this type is Evening, Nipigon River (pictured at the top of this page), created by Yvonne McKague Housser.

So, does all this commercialism mean that the Canadian artists in question were sell-outs? Considering the commonly-used definition of selling out, this does not seem to be the case. If you were to compare the Group of Seven’s commercial art to their non-commercial art, you would notice no significant change in style. All of their commercial art focuses on Canadian landscapes or Canadian people doing traditionally Canadian things, as their non-commercial art does. The only real difference between their commercial and non-commercial art is that promotional text has been added to some of the commercial images. If someone who doesn’t have a great deal of knowledge about the Group of Seven was to view a commercial print that doesn’t contain any wording, they may not be able to determine whether the print is commercial or non-commercial.

Some people believe that artists must not participate in commercial ventures at all, if they wish to remain authentic and avoid selling out. This is a bit of an unrealistic expectation—artists need to make a living just as much as anyone else does. Artists just need to find the golden mean between generating popularity and revenue and engaging in purely authentic personal expression. Brice Salek, a modern multimedia artist recently featured in The Mindful Word, always strives to create projects that represent his inner thoughts and ideas, but that can also enhance people’s lives.

Often, commercialism allows for increased public exposure. After all, if the Canadian artists featured within the “Sell Out?” exhibit did not engage in commercial work, they may not have become as well-known, and both landscape art enthusiasts and the general public would be missing out if they were unable to view their great pieces of work today. Participation in commercial projects does not, in all cases, equate with a lack of integrity. In fact, commercial projects often act as opportunities for artists to express themselves quite authentically within realms they would not have been able to access if they had remained strictly non-commercial in scope. While some artists do “sell out” by drastically changing their ideas and styles to suit the companies paying them for their work, neither the Group of Seven nor the other artists featured in the “Sell Out?” exhibit are of that kind.

Do you think that some artists focus too much on commercial projects? How would you define an artist who has sold out?

The post WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SELL OUT?: Reflections on the Sell Out? exhibit at the Ottawa Art Gallery appeared first on The Mindful Word.

Sign up for a free subscription to The Mindful Word’s quarterly digital magazine at http://www.themindfulword.org/subscribe


Source: http://www.themindfulword.org/2013/sell-out/


Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world.

Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.

"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.

Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world. Anyone can join. Anyone can contribute. Anyone can become informed about their world. "United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.


LION'S MANE PRODUCT


Try Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend 60 Capsules


Mushrooms are having a moment. One fabulous fungus in particular, lion’s mane, may help improve memory, depression and anxiety symptoms. They are also an excellent source of nutrients that show promise as a therapy for dementia, and other neurodegenerative diseases. If you’re living with anxiety or depression, you may be curious about all the therapy options out there — including the natural ones.Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend has been formulated to utilize the potency of Lion’s mane but also include the benefits of four other Highly Beneficial Mushrooms. Synergistically, they work together to Build your health through improving cognitive function and immunity regardless of your age. Our Nootropic not only improves your Cognitive Function and Activates your Immune System, but it benefits growth of Essential Gut Flora, further enhancing your Vitality.



Our Formula includes: Lion’s Mane Mushrooms which Increase Brain Power through nerve growth, lessen anxiety, reduce depression, and improve concentration. Its an excellent adaptogen, promotes sleep and improves immunity. Shiitake Mushrooms which Fight cancer cells and infectious disease, boost the immune system, promotes brain function, and serves as a source of B vitamins. Maitake Mushrooms which regulate blood sugar levels of diabetics, reduce hypertension and boosts the immune system. Reishi Mushrooms which Fight inflammation, liver disease, fatigue, tumor growth and cancer. They Improve skin disorders and soothes digestive problems, stomach ulcers and leaky gut syndrome. Chaga Mushrooms which have anti-aging effects, boost immune function, improve stamina and athletic performance, even act as a natural aphrodisiac, fighting diabetes and improving liver function. Try Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend 60 Capsules Today. Be 100% Satisfied or Receive a Full Money Back Guarantee. Order Yours Today by Following This Link.


Report abuse

    Comments

    Your Comments
    Question   Razz  Sad   Evil  Exclaim  Smile  Redface  Biggrin  Surprised  Eek   Confused   Cool  LOL   Mad   Twisted  Rolleyes   Wink  Idea  Arrow  Neutral  Cry   Mr. Green

    MOST RECENT
    Load more ...

    SignUp

    Login

    Newsletter

    Email this story
    Email this story

    If you really want to ban this commenter, please write down the reason:

    If you really want to disable all recommended stories, click on OK button. After that, you will be redirect to your options page.