Standing above the crowd?

I have visited hundreds, literally, of art gallery and museum exhibits of 'up and coming' artists over the years. And can probably count on one hand those who are still around. For example: How many know of Melissa Miller's works of a decade or more ago? How many know of her latest works? And yet Miller is one of the most collected of artists in 'contemporary art museum' collections.

My point is, there are so many good artists today that it's virtually impossible for any one person to stand head and shoulders above the crowd - much less keep their name freshly before the general public. Those names that do remain on various 'lists' are often from the last century's 'Golden Age' of art - ie; the AE/POP/PHOTOREAL/etc. movements.

I didn't. I refered to a context.

There are millions of working painters.

Incorrect but I won't defend the point. 'Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservative.' -John Stuart Mill

Tired of Modern Art? check

Without trying to decipher your latest treatise point by point, I did think of a couple of things that I believe are relevant.

Not too long ago, I believe if you'd have asked a question of the man on the street IN THE USA, 'Who is the greatest living artist?' - the answer would most likely have been 'Norman Rockwell.' Followed closely, maybe, by Andrew Wyeth - depending on how 'long ago' we're talking about.

But I suspect not 1 in 100 on the street would know the name of the creator (pun) of 'Piss Christ.' If you were to pose the question as 'what is the most outrageous recent work of art you can think of' - perhaps 1 in 10 'might' mention Piss Christ.

I'd like to think that if asked to name three 'working painters' at least 1 in 10 could do so. I could be wrong. But it would be a fun project for someone who wants to poll in a mall or on a downtown street corner, etc. I'm going to begin my own poll of those I come in contact with in my environs, although I live in a small town in a remote area I suspect people here will answer with names of locally known artists - of whom there are an abundance 'per capita.'

I don't know if they're relevant. They are factoids, like 'Colonel Mustard's cutlass is missing' and 'there is blood on the pianola.' You have to connect the factoids into a ... treatise, a.k.a. a r g u m e n t.

Leo, are you sure that 'factoid' is the word you want? The term stumped me for a long time, especially after I saw it used in different ways. So when I looked it up I was surprised...' '1. A piece of unverified or inaccurate information that is presented in the press as factual, often as part of a publicity effort, and that is then accepted as true because of frequent repetition'.

Looking at your graph, I think you mean 'factette' or something like that . microfact, factoweinie, factacito ????

Oh, I don't care much what words mean; I go by how they sound. Some words mean well, the poor things, but sound fugly.

Or, in the case of statements resembling data, like 'I bet not 1 in 100' and 'perhaps 1 in 10', statisticles.

Whew! I just experienced a DaDa moment (pant,pant,pant)

(insert digital laffture here)

what about botero?

. UBU

'Si on peut être antiaméricain sans en payer le prix, alors tout le monde va l'être.'