If you think about it, every single entity touched by
Art becomes - to some extent - a creator. Which is a bit awkward to say - a creation produces
creators.
So, first of all, it's the Artist - the one that
triggers the whole insanity. The Artist creates a work of Art. If the Artist is
represented by a gallery, than be sure that the gallery also creates its own
identity defined by its agenda, the quality of its events, the represented
artists and their works. The gallery builds up its own voice, its own features,
and, ultimately, its own history - that has the potential to become the history
of a generation, culturally speaking (see Peggy Guggenheim case). A gallery that is only commercial
will never make history. A gallery, in the same way like an artist, needs to
believe in something. It needs to have a vision.
The curator - creates a more ample story out of some
selected works. A curator creates an exhibition, a scene where Art can be read in a certain keynote - the one established by the curator.
The Art critic creates a theoretical body for the visual
(although far from being limited to visual) experience produced by Art.
Then here comes the collector. The collectors also
create – and their creation is of course nothing else but their own collection. A collector is more than
just the director of a scene populated by a sum of artworks he or she may have
bought. A real collector has a deeper understanding of his or her times; a real collector is involved in the evolution of Art, they might
even have an active and direct power over the destiny of the artists they
collect. The collector is the one that actually gives the final stroke to an artwork, even if he or she might not be the final destination of that piece.
Don Rubble, one of the bigger collectors of
contemporary art, once said: "When you first start collecting, you're
intensely competitive, but eventually you learn two things. First, if an artist
is only going to make one good work, then there is no sense in fighting over
it. Second, a collection is a personal vision. No one can steal your
vision." (see "Seven Days in the Art World", by Sarah Thornton)
The art fairs also, like biennales, museums, art centers
and galleries create markets, trends, tastes.
The Auction creates Legends and Stars. Of course, it's not
always the case, but we have to admit that it does happen quite often.
The Jury will create winners and have their share in
history changing.
Eventually, Art generates within a huge number of
people the power to create something meaningful over their lifetime. Art gives
us the power of a creator. And that power is the ultimate drug.
