I was speaking to someone about Cuban Artist Julio Larraz the other day who described him as a Titan in the art world. I echo that sentiment. Larraz has been called one of most important contemporary Latin American artists of our time. I’d go so far to say he is the most important.
I prepare for this whenever discussing marketing with fine artists. I toss the word “brand” out intentionally, as one would a grenade. I generally wait until the artist is fully engaged in the conversation excited about where her (In this case she was female, but I’ve had the same reaction from males) art could go, how we could promote her work, the various creative ways we could build bridges between her and the public, and how we could utilize the media to get her art in front of collectors, investors, gallery owners and the public at large. She was excited as we reviewed the possibilities.
When we offer our PR for Artists seminars to musicians, filmmakers or authors, we jump right into the whats and hows of PR and marketing, but when we’re addressing visual artists we’ve found that it’s important to start with the whys.
We recently offered a PR for Artists seminar at the Brewery Art Colony and were amazed by the range, breath and variety of art and artists which the campus offered. The Brewery is a unique creative ecosystem where painters, sculptors, writers, musicians and mixed media artists live work, and create. It is a small city unto itself complete with its own restaurant and an unexpected gym complete with rock climbing walls.
It’s not always easy to find venues to showcase your work. And it’s not difficult to get locked in that gallery-or-nothing mentality. Galleries are definitely important, but they are not the end-all-and-be-all when it comes to displaying your art and reaching the public. As a recent article in the New York Times illustrated, the landscape is shifting and New York-based galleries are no longer the only places to view or buy fine art.
Although developing a strong PR narrative is generally the best way to create a powerful brand for you and for your artwork, don’t think in terms of selling or marketing – think of stories.
Effective PR isn’t about creating ads, commercials, or a sales pitches, but about developing a strong, compelling story told with flair and personality.