Michael previews the upcoming documentary, “The Price of Everything,” and calls it a voyeur’s delight for those interested in the art market’s high rollers and art stars. Hot shot artist Jeff Koons gets a lot of screen time, if you’re into him, balanced with some Jerry Saltz and Larry Poons, who speaks about artists losing their souls to the marketplace. The film screens at the Prince Theater starting Nov. 2 and will be on HBO Nov. 12.
Read MoreRecently, I had a meeting with a director of an artist-run space in Philadelphia. At many points in our discussion we touched on the issue of selling artwork. This led to reflections on the state of the art market in Philadelphia and the strong anti-commercial ethos of sections of the Philadelphia DIY art community. It strikes me that this opposition is a good place to start, not least because it forms the elementary premise on which a number of conversations that I have had with people from the arts community here in Philadelphia about the state of art in the city and the rest of the United States are based.
Read More