Over the past few years Cat (my wife) and I have had the opportunity to get to know Winston and Elizabeth Eggleston. Winston happens to be the son of William Eggleston and also the managing director of the Eggleston Artistic Trust. (click on name for website link)
Throughout the past few years we’ve attended various dinner parties at each others homes and during one of the visits Winston and Elizabeth commented on how much they liked one of my paintings and asked if I would be interesting in selling or trading for an Eggleston print. Like any sane person I immediately said yes!With much delight Cat and I received our signed print earlier this summer and it made me start to think about the transaction. First of all, my thoughts always start with –HOLY SHIT I HAVE A WILLIAM EGGLESTON! Then I start to wonder about other “straight up” trades and informal bartering that exist in the art community. I remember Nathan Boyer (click on name to see his website) telling me a great story about trading one of his paintings for a Saab. Yeah that’s right! A car…and it ran!He drove it from New York to Columbia, Missouri numerous times.
So without further ado here is the sticky from my “documentary stickies” pile. _Documentary entitled "Straight Up" explores the trade of artwork between artists/non artist and other artist/non artists. “Straight Up” examines both sides of the trade and investigates how the impulse to barter "art objects" has been a frequent and acceptable tradition that artist and art enthusiasts practice.
Anybody have any other stories….
SO... I think you win in the trading category!
ReplyDeleteI have traded other artists for work, it is usually the only way I could afford to "collect" art. The trades have been mostly with close friends and to me these are the special works that I now own and enjoy on the regular. I think of them as stand-in for these friends and fellow artists... you know I can make some tea walk by the art say hi. Its nice to have the little reminders of the people that live far away.
oh and p.s.
ReplyDeleteI cannot stand stickies.
nick,
ReplyDeletei like the idea of the artist barter, as well... i seem to always give stuff away. in general bartering provides a great social function especially in a down economy. the artist model of trade provides a good model for other industries as well. tooth cleaning for landscaping, accounting for roof fixing, etc. the william eggleston retrospective at the art institute of chicago looked really nice. i went through a few times. i remember sneaking a guilty peek at the auction list for his work at the brooks.... yikes. but.... for the social value of barter... art is a skilled service. i wonder if hollywood and the nba will follow suit.