I really don’t know where I stand on Jen Bekman’s 20×200 scheme,
The idea of selling my stuff cheap, frankly appalls. I spend thousands of euros a year in film , processing, marketing, attending portfolio reviews. Every step of the way there are mechanisms to extract money from the artist, diverting energy and funds from producing work. If I’m lucky I get an exhibit and spend 10k on printing and framing. If I’m lucky, VERY lucky, I break even. More likely I’m paying off the bank loan, which eats into the ability to make new work. So I want a realistic price for my work, for the hours, the effort.
I’m also undecided about the Hot Shot phenomena. The idea of relegating photography to a series of one off’s I find to be part of a dumbing-down and commodification process that is strictly anti-art - I could here go into a philosophical ramble on the social funcion of art, but I’ll resist. I also find the idea of paying a gallery to look at my stuff so that if they approve they can sell it for a profit, to be, well, decidedly American.
Having said that, there is no denying the energy JB puts into marketing her photographers and her dedication to supporting new artists and finding new markets. The idea of making 2k (although it will probably be 1k after gallery cut) for only the expenditure of printing off a batch of A4s, would be very welcome, it would certainly help fund existing projects! Not to mention the publicity, and 200 names for the mailing list. So as a marketing tool I can see it being beneficial.
So where do I stand…
I guess ‘thanks but no thanks’ for me, but a hearty ‘go for it’ for JB and her stable of image-makers. I’ll sit on the sidelines and applaud from afar with a slightly worried frown on my face.
Update.
I had a very nice email from Jen Bekman explaining more fully the way her gallery works. Now whilst I’m still, from a philosophical point of view, unhappy about the Hotshot process, I have to say I think she is on the side of the Angels and I think having her fight your corner would be very valuable. I wish my last gallery had had her grit. I also made a comment about this here
