Interviewed in the LCC Documentary Film studio at Elephant and Castle, London, Uk, on 18/10/2011
Name: Catarina Diehl
Nationality: Finnish
Current Location: London - UK
Artistic role: documentarist/visual artist
Current work: n/a
Contact details: clkdiehl@yahoo.fr
What is the meaning of being an emerging artist, What implications the term “emerging” has and how can the art market influence the artist’s career and life path?
I had never thought of the concept of the 'emerging artist' before I moved to the U.K. In fact, I don't know what the equivalent term would be in my own mother tongue (Swedish). Does this perhaps mean that it is a concept quite tied in particular to the art market in the U.K., or even that of London? I find that being an 'emerging artist' goes in the category with internships- there is this grey area from beginning a path in art to being a 'fully qualified' or even just an 'artist', and this grey area can be quite intimidating and confusing. You work for free, and hope to be picked up somewhere, or to make an impression on somebody. This time when you might be an 'emerging artist' may well decide the whole direction of your professional life. However, I don't think it is particular to the art market to have a name for somebody who is new in the field- it goes for almost every profession. Whenever you begin something, you are always a novice.
Struggle would be a very strong word. I have gladly been making the films I have, knowing that they have very little commercial value, I simply love making films. In terms of my identity as an artist, I think it has not been a struggle, as I have made the films I want- I think there will be a bigger waging of these questions when I graduate and look for a job- I am well aware of the fact that I have to compromise, I can' be doing just what I want just now and get paid for it.
As I mentioned before I think that one is always a novice at the beginning of a profession, and the term 'emerging' seems to be the one for the art market- 'trainee' or 'graduate' are other terms in other fields. There is less money in the arts, so it is harder to make a living solely on art. 'Emerging' might sound sexy to potential buyers, as the buyer might play with the idea of having discovered a 'true' piece of art before it's commercial success.
The term 'emerging' suggests that the artist has not been generally recognized. This is a term that would generally be used by perhaps journalists, curators etc- not the artist himself. If the artist has found himself a strong identity I don't believe that being called 'emerging' has a negative influence on the artist, on the contrary, it means that he has already been picked up by at least somebody. Should the artist not be very strong in his identity, he might think that he should be making a particular type of art instead of staying true to himself. I think that every artist has to compromise his work to some extent for commercial purposes. It is never the same thing to make something for yourself for fun, as to make something that is meant to be sold.
0 commenti:
Post a Comment