Alternative Art or Fad?
In my time of creating art I have been asked why I do not make whatever piece that is on the persons mind at the time. Geometric wall art is one that comes up from time to time. Some see it as an alternative art while others hate it as a fad. What is the pros and cons in terms of home decor and its market impact? More importantly for me personally there is the answer of why I do not touch it.
Aesthetic Living Room
I understand that some people love geometric art. By the way not all of this type of art is the same. When I think of this kind of art I see the chevron wood art in my mind. If you do a google search you will see there is a really vast representation of this concept art in the world. Unique pieces can actually be quite beautiful but still they become very limited.
If what you are after is an aesthetic living room or similar and the piece matches then go for it. For many situations it will work. This is especially true in spaces such as offices, home staging, rental property or more modern home themes that break away from the traditional. It works there. Additionally it is typically very inexpensive to buy. It is a great option for decor.
There are artists out there who focus on this type of art and do quite well with it. Their problem is that they have been overrun by the makers that cheapen the whole genre of the art form. When something can be turned from a work of art and into a mass produced product do not ever call it art. It is not art, it is home decor. Period. Yet this is not why I refuse to touch the stuff. I will share some sympathy for the real artists out there especially with the debate over its value scale.
Why I Will Forever Say No
Years ago chevron art came out as this huge fad that took the market by storm and still persists today in some corners of the “wood art” world. It caught fire within the market and began to appear within homes across the country. The problem was it became cliché and burnt out rather quickly. It really is amazing to see how something can become so popular so quickly to then have itself burn out at nearly the same speed.
Why did it become the “in” thing to have? It does look cool when it is well done. More complex geometric art I have seen will blow your mind and make you say wow. Yet the chevron art was neat looking. What made it spread so fast was two factors of criteria. It was cheap and cool looking then also makers could mass produce with speed offloading the product.
Today there are still makers out there with left over inventory from years gone by that they are still trying to offload. The better makers still sell at a regular frequency but the market just is not the same as it once was. Herein is my problem with the whole geometric art fad.
First of all I am not about mass producing anything. It is not who I am as I am not geared that way. I refuse to make cutting boards or coasters for the same reasons. Why do it? There is no real artistic value in it. It is not art. Geometric wall art is often the same in that it really is not art at all. With wood art there really is no way to stand out or be unique in that product.
What Is Real Geometric Art?
I ran across a guy long ago that loved real geometric art. It was his thing and he was good. His work was so complex that it required laser cutting and the material he used was not a natural material but rather various synthetics. The works would be for wall hanging but still three dimensional.
He could take a sculpture of a bust and recreate it in a unique way with geometric art. It was truly insane. His work was art. It had impact and value. When you looked at his work it drew you into it and the first question you would ask is “How is that possible?”. No maker could reproduce his art form. It just was not possible.
Real geometric art is like many other arts today. The copycats are abundant with the makers in our world who market art which is not art at all. I do not care how the art is made whether by hand, paint, machinery or whatever tool the artist desires to use. Is it unique and an expression from their creativity? Does it impact? Does it have value? What is its meaning? A production line cannot answer those questions with a qualifying response.
Interior Styling Uses
A homey design done the right way can have value in interior styling. Its role plays a very specific function within my mind. If one is attempting to bring flow and a feel to a room without drawing attention to a specific focal point then use it. Thus why it is great in home staging. It is a great flow piece that makes things around it look pretty by it being there.
Our mind and eyes are naturally drawn to the geometry of things. It is not merely art. This exists in all things we interact with on a daily basis. When a woman shops for a new dress one of the first things she will notice aside from the color is its shape and form. This is just how we are made to be.
Even for men who approach things in a more utilitarian way they still notice the geometry of said item they are looking at. The geometry may not be high on the list of priorities but it does rank on the scale. It is hardwired into our minds.
The right geometric wall art will do wonders for interior styling in bringing things together that before was neutral or bland. There are times when it will perform better than a painting or picture being hung on the wall. Open spaces seem to do better with the works as it can transition from space to space with a theme giving a unique atmosphere. Yet the “art” cannot stand on its own.
These works are dependent upon what is around it. Place the typical geometric work on a wall alone and it becomes odd. It is not a focal point. It needs to connect with something else. This is why I say it creates flow. For the aesthetic living room as it goes with the furniture, carpet or rug with other assorted decor it will be fine. The room will come together looking nice. Yet it is decor not art.
Art Inspiration With Creative Designs Lost
My dislike of this type of item is twofold. I have dealt with the makers and copycats but as an artist it comes down to another aspect. Art inspiration with creative designs are not valued in the art form. It is difficult enough to make it as an artist within this world. The inspiration to create something requires time and refinement to that creation.
To give an example, with my art I have had people admire and love it but then something happens. They get excited and ask me how much it cost. When I tell them they almost swallow their tongue. The expression on their face is as if someone slapped them. Early on as an artist it is easy to take that as an insult. I have seen some artists become quite angry because of this kind of reaction from a prospective buyer.
For me it has no impact on my ego or emotions like it will some. I have owned real world businesses and know the game all too well. For these people who become shocked by the price it is simple. They do not know art nor our world. They only input they have on things like this comes from HGTV and Target or perhaps Walmart.
No I do not have a room full of Chinese kids mass producing art. Sorry. We cannot do that here in this country. My work is actually real art made by me taking time out of my life and skills learned over years of practice. Yet this is not what the buyer sees nor do they realize this when they approach. Instead of allowing it to create an awkward moment you simply smile back and thank them for appreciating your work. The awkward moment is over.
Within authentic geometric wall art, more dominantly the influence which has destroyed the art form has been the makers we can find in abundance selling art on Ebay or Etsy. I gave my above illustration with my work and what I and others have faced for it it this impact that begins to destroy creative inspiration. With geometric art there is a difference in that the impact is magnified.
The magnification comes from the fact it is too easy for machines today to copy an artists work. There simply are not enough unique features to geometric art for it to be “owned” by an artist and protected intellectually. There are exceptions to this rule such as the artist I spoke of that was truly unique. Yet artists of this kind are rare and few in number.
Collapse Of Value In Art
All of these problems translate into real monetary value. It creates a collapse of the value in art. Makers are not the sole problem within the market but they are a major contributor to it. If good practices are used in an honorable way all becomes fair in business. Yet this does not bode well for the artists. The outcome has been disastrous for some in the community.
These artists who have not refined their work or their model did not survive. Likewise there are those out there now who are struggling to simply get a toe hold on any market. After dealing with decor imports and the makers the artists then begin to turn on each other. It becomes so cut throat that the artist will sell their work at a major loss just to have a sale with hopes of getting a review to help them be noticed. This is a doomed model to follow.
With a little time these artists wash out of the market system and are gone. It simply is not sustainable. Geometric art as a whole is a concept that I refuse to get involved with on virtually any level for these reasons alone. Due to these factors the real artists of this art form are disappearing. There was a time when you could find them in greater abundance than today.
I have a general dislike of makers that do artsy products by nature. I especially dislike cheap decor imports that imitate art. These market forces cannot be helped but it doesn’t mean I have to like them. Typically I see a maker as someone who wants a business or they want to do art but lack the necessary skills to do so. With this they try their best within the capacity that they do have. This is not a bad thing but it leads to bad places because anyone can do it and it is not unique.
A Work Of Art
For a creation to be a work of art it must be unique. At least it must have unique things about it. An artist can take a simple object and make it unique. They can take a very simple design and turn it into something creative. It is quite rare to see an artist doing things below their skill level. A sculpture will not be doing chevron art. Likewise while I am not on the level of the great sculptors of our day I also do not do geometric art as it is presented today.
Each maker or artist has their own personal touch they prefer. Each fills the market space for that niche and there is nothing wrong with this reality. Some will succeed while many will fail. This too is our reality. Through it all the critical difference to note is that the real artist will always survive.
One may be curious as to why I state that. The answer is simple. An artist creates a work of art for the love of the art not for the marketplace. We will continue our art irregardless of who looks at it or not. If there is an artist reading this, live that principle. Value yourself and your work accordingly.