Visual Artist Journey: Obscurity to A Successful Career

The pathway to a sustainable contemporary artist career is rooted in the amount  marketplace knowledge which surrounds him.

The productivity and public perceptions for today's artist are obviously determined by factors such as exhibitions, nominations, awards and media exposure. Those factors significantly linked activities and modify the general reception of an artist's work and career. It takes a cycle of global artistic events which acts as genuine career catalyst which leads to more prestigious events that also become a stimulus to stronger market presence and artwork value/price.

Understanding the importance of  collaborating with retail, public, private and corporate conduits is critical to structuring a sustainable and lucrative career dynamics. Look how Koons retrospective – at Musée National d'Art Moderne in France - elevated his prominent public profile in the United States. Because Koons' team knew how to inextricably link events, he now enjoys intense market demand.

Professionals know that turnover/sales are by no means the major influencers of an artist’s career. It is the succession of inextricably linked opportunities that are the catalysts which change an artist's paradigm. American artist Christopher Wool took the opportunity to showcase with painters like Oehlen, Kippenberger and others were recognized internationally and began the pinnacle of his career.  In 2015 Wool's works generate the highest revenue among living contemporary artists on the auction circuit.  If he had approached the market pessimistically his career would have taken a less promising path.

Nowadays, unlike the past, the market reach of an artist depends on how much he or she knows about the interworking of the marketplace. U.S. based artist Kasey's team created a strategy to elevate his work by targeting retailers with international success, financial firepower, the promotional dynamic and most importantly where they promote their program. In doing so he cultivated a professional history that opens up opportunities that resulted in being recognized as one of the top income generating artists today, who was born in the 80's. 

Like any other art genre, a visual artist must have a strategy to navigate the Arts marketplace. Many successful artists – Fanzhi, Rudolf, and Hirst - hired individuals with unique skills to fill gaps in the promotion and market research roles.  Very few people would argue about their degree success.
To the dismay of some artists, plans of action are not thrown together; they are based on the systematic study and comprehensive knowledge of- city, the citizens, economy and other economic points - the environment that will allow the plan to take place. Many French artists study the market migrate to other countries in order to enhance their chances of survival and success, discovering their home market was insufficiently supportive.

Some artists have attempted to interpret their local market, becoming frustrated

because they lack the skills to spearhead an effective study. So they settle on the hip-pocket approach resulting in acuminating useless information. An artist in Savannah thought if he lowered his price he would sell more pieces.  If he had invested in current information through reliable sources he would have known that large-scale works were in demand, which was supported by an influx in the construction sector and wage growth of its citizens. He would have the right artwork and saved his art business.

 Having a management mindset is needed to create such a strategy, demands the artist have the knowledge of the local and upper marketplaces, also an objective assessment of the expenses financially, mentally and logistically.
Whatever decision an artist makes, its success depends on whether the determination is based on a rational path, and if the artist has the capability to execute it.

In the artist/career relationship, the success of the former fuels the success of the latter. A closer look at the career paths of the most sought-after artists reveals the impact of the agent/artist collaboration.

"Global Art Network U.S.A. (GAN) is an award winning business strategy and consulting firm in the professional arts sector. Since the late 1990's serious visual artists, gallery owners, and art collectors from around the globe has hired GAN to improved their business. GAN is known worldwide for providing our clients with the industry most current and results-oriented assistance in the art industry today. You can connect with GAN at our website: on Twitter, Facebook or email us."