Bob, Lenswork is a Fine Art for photography quarterly published out of Anacortes, WA. at 909 Third Street, 98221-1502. You can access them via the web at www.lenswork.com or email at editor@xxxxxxxxxxxx and finally an land line access has been provided (grin) by calling 360-588-1343. The article was written by one of the pub's editors, Brooks Jensen. He "challenges the photographic art world to defend vintage prints, limited editions, craftless process, and art by the square inch - encouraging healthy principles in place of old money games." Size doesn't matter, age doesn't matter and more and more fine art photographers are leaving the high society art galleries behind to involve themselves more in their work and the selling of their efforts to the general public. Which has, unfortunately, grown weary of the galleries and the art world as industry. One point in the article was on the "strategy of equating prices to sizes" which the author claims works great in real estate but is an absurdity or Money Game in the artworld. In Japan, space is a premium, and they hold small things in reverence over large. But, here in america, we want big, think only big is best and strive to make it big in order to price it big. On making a name for ourselves the author liked "Weegee's approach - just say you're famous and be done with it." The most "important factor that influences the value of a piece of artwork is the artist's signature." It's "not the quality itself!" Jensen suggests, "A bad Edward Weston will sell for more than a great Joe Putz." So do something insane to get yourself on the news so that people will know of you and you can then sell your work on ebay for small fortunes. Jensen also suggests, "if you are unknown, your signature is actually a detriment because it reinforces that you are a nobody, you are worthless piece of moldy dog meat of an artist whom no one has ever heard of. You are better off leaving your [artwork] remain unsigned and at least have the advantage of mystery on your side." Take care, Gregory david Stempel FIREFRAMEi m a g i n g www.americanphotojournalist.com
