How does an artist actually become famous?

Much of what is admired, even idolized, art

Today, this path to artistic creation can still be felt, or perhaps rediscovered, when a chef or a textile designer, with a particular love for detail, creates truly special products from a special material, which are then often referred to as works of art. Many of the artworks we admire today originated as magnificent buildings erected by famous rulers, created for the purpose of self-glorification and/or out of tactical calculation to impress adversaries or competitors.

In a very similar context, many special pieces of jewelry, furniture, cakes and paintings were produced, all basically created by agents bound by instructions in pursuit of similar ideas, one could also say promotional items.

To be fair, it was often people with money who supported art. Perhaps this also offers a starting point for one of the distinctions used to differentiate art from non-art: works created at the expense of a ruler and shaped according to his instructions, as opposed to works created solely for the sake of art.

Upon reflection, it quickly becomes clear that such a distinction must have very vague boundaries: despite being commissioned, art can be created, or the commission itself provides the opportunity for the creation of art, or the client is indeed the actual artist.

The line is usually drawn where artistic freedom is affected, but even that is difficult; then the almost conformist art that can still emerge in a dictatorial environment would no longer be art at all.

However, in these cases, the person who commissioned the work becomes famous, sometimes only he (for example, when many slaves erect an impressive building), sometimes the artist also becomes famous, if it is the significant work of a single expert.

Art for art's sake

On the other hand, since the beginning of the 19th century there has been a movement that “l'art pour l'art ,” that is, art created solely for art's sake. According to this theory, artworks created according to this theory should be self-sufficient and should not serve any external purpose.

Whether the creators of artworks produced in this way become famous seems to be subject to different rules than is the case with "commissioned works." It seems to depend primarily on whether the artist is able to attract sufficient attention to their art .

In our time, two species predominantly dominate the international art scene

The artists who rise to prominence within a well-established academic network, which catches its followers with well-padded wings and seeks to silence all dissenting and critical minds by denying their competence (this reflects the international scientific community, where adherents of the prevailing opinion also have an easier time). A good example of how easy such a rise can be is the career of John Baldessari .

Then there are the artists who believe that art cannot be learned at university. They have been dependent on other groups in society if they want their art to become truly famous. Their ascent is usually not so easy; there are numerous examples, one representative of this type of artist being Jonathan Meese .

An artist who manages to become a darling of high society may earn a great deal of money , but often faces the disadvantage of having their work displayed in truly tasteless environments or otherwise ridiculed in the media. Furthermore, they often have to cope with the fact that they are no longer taken seriously by educated people.

This fame, brought about by a strong desire for publicity, presupposes, however, that the artist actually wants “his work to conquer the world” .

However, there are many artists who do not see their primary motivation for creating art as achieving great fame or making high profits, but rather create art purely for "art for art's sake" : because they want to produce something particularly beautiful, or because they want to learn about the world and share their knowledge, or because they truly want to master a rare material, or for some other kind of inner drive.

While these artists might enjoy seeing their work conquer the world, they show little desire to present themselves to the public in the manner and with the clearly audible intensity that is usually required.

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In this report, reporters Anne Thiele and Johannes Musial follow Alexander Höller. The 24-year-old caught their attention on Instagram with his fully tattooed body, vibrant images, and massive following. Celebrities like Dieter Bohlen, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Barbara Meier buy his artwork. Price: 20,000 euros and more. But how much art is really behind it, or are artists like Alexander only after money and fame?

The reporters also seek answers at an exhibition opening featuring Lars Eidinger . The actor is showcasing his photographic art. Many visitors attend because they follow him on Instagram. There, as elsewhere, Eidinger enjoys being the center of attention. Is that the only way to become successful these days?

Gallerist Nils Müller , the man behind the exhibition, knows this all too well. A former graffiti artist, he now owns the renowned Ruttkowski;68 gallery . He's also familiar with the dark side of the art market : hype, commercialism , and speculators who drive art prices to extreme heights. They make millions doing so.

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Selling art online

For these artists, there is now an unprecedented opportunity for presentation: the presentation of their art to the global online community . The internet offers the first platforms where works can be presented independently of the artist's identity. Online, art lovers have unlimited access, regardless of national borders, income levels, or preconceived notions of taste.

Artists who post their work have access without discrimination, and depending on the platform chosen, at very low cost (no comparison to a gallery that keeps up to half of the revenue for itself).

, artists can make their art known to a public not bound by any ideology whatsoever, without the hassle of advertising, by offering their art online, for example in the online gallery of Kunstplaza .

Lina Sahne

Passionate author with a keen interest in art

www.kunstplaza.de