Mailtda's non-commercial use clause, was: Re: [matilda] crisisof consensus

[mark cohen]

Hi All,

Sorry to bring the debate back to the art shop idea after all the high 
political theory. The idea that some of the money would go to Matilda means 
that the space in effect becomes a gallery selling work. The percentages 
mentioned (70% to the artist) means that Matilda would be taking quite a bit 
less than a commercial gallery which normally takes 50%. Result, the art 
buying public gets the work for quite a bit less than otherwise. This allows 
more people to be into the art market and enriches lives etc. So yes the 
artist makes a profit but quite a bit of that goes on more materials and the 
rest on barely keeping the artist fed. Having run a couple of art shows I 
think that most time artists charge less for their work than their time 
making it is worth and they do this simply to sell it so they can make more. 
Artists who make a "profit" in the evil capitalist way wouldn't bother with 
showing at Matilda even if we'd have them.  These shows take quite a bit of 
organising especially in publicity terms when you are as far off the beaten 
track as Matilda (seriously, for a commercial organisation getting the lazy 
arse cash spending public more than 10' off the main drag is so hard as to 
often be the death of it).

There was a point raised about the gig collective and their gigs being not 
for profit, but as I remember some of the bands got paid though probably not 
nearly enough to even cover expenses. If this were true of the artists 
selling work in the proposed shop would there still be contention?

Profit is not in itself evil (I'm just waiting for the flack) it is silly 
profit made by exploitation that is evil. I doubt that anyone selling 
anything in the proposed Matilda art shop would be making silly profit and 
doubt that they’d be exploiting any one either.

The art shop would be an interesting idea, but no illusions it would be very 
hard work for some one and away from main shopping streets may not make much 
money at all. It could bring a lot of people into the space or maybe not. 
Perhaps Eric could tell us how many people have come specifically to see the 
Urban Invasion art show outside of the first night as this is a crucial bit 
of commercial information relating to the art shop.


regards etc,

Mark

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