By Janet Sellers
“I don’t know why people are so keen to put the details of their private life in public; they forget that invisibility is a superpower.”—Banksy
Our imaginations are invisible but powerful. We take in what we see and hear—and use all our senses—to make sense of our world and who we are. In art, the creators can visibly show or merely imply ideas to the viewer. That’s the fun of it. That’s the excitement of looking at art in person: The viewer has a personal connection with the art in their flow of the moment.
In weekly art roundtable discussions, I hear from art curators and art collectors from all over the world. They are enthusiastic about enjoying art personally and sharing their collections in novel ways. Art collectors locally and globally are acknowledging their profound interest in collecting paintings these days more than ever, and enjoying the art for themselves. No longer are collectors amassing mere assets of popularity. They are taking in artworks that are meaningful to them with a more personal approach to their taste.
The aforementioned Banksy is a unique artist, with no curators but many interested collectors. It is hard to collect the works because they exist outdoors on buildings and structures to reach viewers. And publicly, no one knows who Banksy is.
Banksy makes graffiti creations that are so temporary that the very wall the artwork is put on has to be removed to keep and sell the artwork. Banksy’s work is recognizable and highly critical of the wrongs of our world. Indeed, both Banksy and the artwork are hard to get hold of. Banksy is considered to be worth—by speculation of London’s Dawson auction house—over $60 million.
We are inundated with visual stimuli on our screens and phones to the point it is overwhelming. Seeing and appreciating visual art in person is the most enjoyable way to experience it. We can view art at our own tempo and move on or walk back to see artworks. Art lovers as collectors and as artists have always known this and have explored ideas to their outer limits. We are moving back from over-screened life to personal control of our wall spaces and viewing at will via real art on real walls in real time.
Janet Sellers is an artist, writer, and speaker. Her paintings, sculptures, and digital artworks are exhibited in the western U.S. and locally in Colorado. Contact her at JanetSellers@ocn.me.
Other Art Matters articles
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