Andrew Frost is an art critic, writer and broadcaster. He has been the editor of The Art Life blog since its launch in 2004 and regularly contributes to Guardian Australia
“What do you say when you’re not a painter? Say you’re a video artist – how do you explain that to your accountant? Your mechanic?”
“In the modern fibre-optic world of today, every artist is busy professionalising their practice, building a personal brand across multiple media platforms while synergising their opportunities.”
“By the time I was in my teens in the mid-70s, the optimism of the 1960s had faded into the dystopian grime of the late Cold War.”
“I had never heard of Bob Ross when I first encountered his smiling face looking out from the ranks of recommended TV shows, but I am sure my reaction to him was typical of the reason his show is now so popular.”
“Not every country town or city thought to build a permanent local gallery, or if they had, many didn’t survive to the present day. To travel around to experience Australia’s wealth of regional galleries is to be presented with the architecture of make-do.”
“It’s an oft-repeated truism that the art market is the largest unregulated money market in the world.”
“Architecture is about order and standing in the landscape for decades, maybe even centuries, whereas art is usually too unruly and ephemeral to be left out in the rain or in direct sunlight. Architecture has permanency; art doesn’t last.”
“I have always believed that everyone has the right to be paid fairly, and on time, and on principle I understand and support artists who just say no.”
“I like air conditioning, and I like looking at art, so visiting your gallery for the recent summer blockbuster exhibition seemed like a good idea.”
“You might have heard recently about what’s going down in Sydney’s three major art schools. One has pretty much abandoned traditional art education like painting and sculpture for an offbeat hybrid art/technology thing that costs heaps to produce but has beautiful ’research output’ value.”
“This seemed like a good thing, a hybridisation of commercial and private approaches, and perhaps this is the future we’ll see elsewhere as major commercial galleries become private foundations and artist-run spaces are pushed out into the suburbs.”
The welcoming atmosphere of the room is enhanced by carefully chosen chamomile-lavender scented candles. I’ll sit in a chair while you can sit on the couch, and so we can begin our art therapy session.
