Artist Not Vital Gives Advice to Young Artists | Louisiana Channel
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- čas přidán 16. 03. 2022
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”Don’t try to push it.” Swiss artist Not Vital, best known for his sculptures and architectonic installations worldwide, shares his advice with emerging artists.
When Not Vital started selling his art as a young artist in New York City, the most memorable advice he got was a practical one from his father, who was not an artist: “I remember, very early on, someone came to the studio to buy a drawing. And then I put up like lots of drawings for this person to choose from. And then my father said: “You should not have more than five drawings.” Because how can someone choose from more than five works?” Vital says and continues: “Don’t try to push it. Even though, if you’re hungry, don’t say that you’re hungry or don’t say that you need to pay rent. No. Because otherwise, out of sympathy, it’s not going to happen.”
Still, Not Vital recognises that he and his peers’ circumstances in New York in the 1970s and 1980s are different: “We were maybe in an easier situation than now. Because now there are more artists and everyone wants to succeed immediately,” Vital explains and elaborates: “Take your time and not just immediately try to be successful. That either comes, or it doesn’t come.”
Not Vital (b. 1948) is a Swiss artist who works in diverse media across installations, paintings, drawings, and sculptures, typically integrating architecture. Vital divides his time between the U.S., Niger, Italy, China and Switzerland, and his art is centred on personal impressions and experiences from around the world. This somewhat anthropological approach is also reflected in how his career is structured into sections, e.g., glass blowers in Murano or paper artists in Bhutan. Vital’s work has been featured in the 49th Venice Biennale in Italy (2001), and he has held significant exhibitions at prominent venues such as the Kunsthalle Bielefeld in Germany (2005), The Arts Club of Chicago in the U.S. (2006), Ullens Center for Contemporary Art in Beijing, China (2011), the Museo d’arte di Mendrisio in Switzerland (2014-15) and Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, London (2021).
Roxanne Bagheshirin Lærkesen interviewed Not Vital at his studio in Sent, Switzerland, in August 2021.
Camera: Rasmus Quistgaard
Produced and edited by: Roxanne Bagheshirin Lærkesen
Copyright: Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 2022
Louisiana Channel is supported by Den A.P. Møllerske Støttefond, Ny Carlsbergfondet, C.L. Davids Fond og Samling and Fritz Hansen.
#NotVital #AdviceToTheYoung
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*Watch our full-length video with Not Vital in which he shows his sculpture park, his foundation and his castle!*
czcams.com/video/-KAxEmX3a2Y/video.html
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Artists are amongst the most brave. We deal daily with self assessment, failure, sharing our most inner world and also hoping we get paid for it..we are vulnerable yet brave. .
❤️
Yeah, I agree
❤
It's hard to put into words what makes a "successful" career. You can tell he feels a little out of touch. He remembers the New York art scene, for pete's sake. Times are so different now, but just like then the basic idea holds true, which is long careers only come with time working on your craft. Many artists that are successful today because they went viral or blew up at Art Basel or some blue chip gallery won't be around at his age. Because it takes that much time to build a well established career. And to try and reverse engineer that success in a short time frame is a big waste of energy. Not only that, but your work will only reflect the desperation of trying to "make it". The same happens in other artistic careers: writers, musicians, actors, they all struggle after finding early fame and trying to keep it. Play the long game.
Well said,
Yes and that might in fact mean to not quit your day job in order to not become a sell out.
@@davidlubotsky7908 Could not agree more.
Profound!
Well said, thank you 🙏🏼
I think it's very important to understand what he says that the skill of the artist is secondary to his skill as a self promoter and marketer. If your only skill is art, you should expect that you won't be successful at selling art, and so you won't become embittered by the thwarted expectation of success. That's just how it is in an imperfect world, there is no reason to lament it. At least God gave you the freedom to create art in this world, and that gift is not dependent on anyone else!
Never let them see you bleed. It's the law of the herd as the weak fall to prey. As artists, we can't put guilt on a buyer or obligation to buy. People want positive interactions, memories and to invest in winners not whiners. Make art because you enjoy doing it without any expectation of buyers. The poor me attitude will not take you far creatively speaking nor with collectors, it's a weak mind set and isn't attractive. Just because you make art doesn't mean you will derive an income from it nor that you are entitled too. This wounded animal victim hood attitude doesn't go far in circles of successful people. That is the weak one I am referring to. Welcome to the jungle.
This is where I think this video was trying to go. Well said.
Very well said.
first of all, i personally think artists should not be too comfortable with the idea of investors in the world of art, rather than people who genuinly like and want what one does and second, do not reprimand the weak, we are all weak at some point, if somebody shows their weakness without malicious intent to get something out it, one should show some degree of compassion as one would like to recieve compassion in one's dark times, i do agree It is not correct to make your art get bought out of pity, but i feel you're making a very shallow statement, seeing either black or white, overlooking the complexity of the matter and having no consideration for how an artist might feel and no respect for letting one do whatever one wants to do, as an artist i do not feel one should be a subservient slave continually pleasing whoever buys the art, that'll only make one into an empty shell only filled by other people's desires nor i believe in your insecurity disguised as strengh of bringing positivity, pleasing the buyers and being a 'winner' through that as you say, wich is rather stupid considering the greatest masters in art history never did anything of what you mention and i think we can all agree, they're the biggest 'winners', If that's actually a thing
@@leroidethunes3913 should I respond to your over the top accusations? What you "personally think" is fine, yet am I also permitted to express what I personally think? I am a mid career artist with my own experiences and insight that others can appreciate as I don't speak for others and neither should you attempt to do so. Yes, a buyer should "genuinely appreciate the art" vs feel guilt or pity as some obligation, so we agree yet you then mention compassion that essentially conflicts with the prior statement. Perhaps become a house painter then vs an artist. How do you "show weakness as an artist without malicious intent"? Makes no sense. You are combative to make statements about me when you don't in the least know me to say I have "insecurity disguised as strength". Allow me to sip my coffee. Lastly you say that "the greatest masters in art are the winners". Making art is for personal reasons as for me it's necessity like eating or exercising. It's what I do for me and if others can appreciate what I create then excellent, great, yet I don't seek admiration as a motivating factor to create nor invite pity in this hard times or any time as I am out to satisfy myself as my own critic and that's what makes for a "winner" as you say and the same goes for the masters, legends and any creator of art who simply makes art for arts sake. That said, I don't see how self pity has anything to do with self satisfaction vs trying to please others so I think you are a bit contradictory in your statement and over reaching besides insulting. Find another way to make $ as I suggested house painting as an example since it's a service and doesn't have to equate to self pity or a guilt purchase for anyone as you can offer a discount and it need not be in spilling your own blood so to speak. Stop whining and simply do your thing and if nobody else cares what you do then be ok with that as that is in fact what the true artist does.
@@davidlubotsky7908 you didn't seem to be impliying that artists do art for arts sake, rather, It seemed you were pushing for a buyer pleaser approach as a way to make a living. You do not know me either yet you're making the same mistake you claim i made by telling me how to make money or where to direct my art career towards, i did not once insult you and everything i've said is a direct response to what you've previously written, so i'm not making any guesses about you. About showing weakness, one can show weakness and vulnerability in any way, shape of form, showing that through one's art is a good way, for example, one that doesn't force buyers to buy out of pity i would say, many artists have done this through history already and you nor i are nobody to tell them they are 'whiners', but for you, It seems, anyone not taking your approach in these matters is whining and complaining, wich, even if they actually were, It shouldn't be your problem either, i partially agree with a lot of the things you stated and i do not discredit your opinion, my problem with what you seem to advice is your short shightedness and matter of fact way you write, as if you had this figured out already, perhaps that apparent confidence can fool an uneducated someone or somebody despertate for an easy path of clear distinctions of what one should and should not do, all i'm saying is, reality is quite a bit more complicated than that, you could try and see all the different shades of grey It has and try to account for as many of them as posible or stick to your basic set of rules to make your life and art views more digestible but lacking complexity, wichever you choose is your thing and not my problem, unlike you i won't stick my nose in what is not my business
It's funny he says show less, less options is better. Human brain can handle about 5 to 9 choices, if we are presented w more we tend to space out and not choose anything. It makes sense. The rest is bs lol
too much is always to much, less is more.
It depends. A gallery show can have more than a dozen artworks. It is a different atmosphere. Lots of people. Hype. Mingling and drinking.
It's a party!
So, science is creating scarcity, rarity, and importance towards the artist and artwork.
Don't be easy to get!
Create value.
If you can beat the banana, you can make it.
Five to nine choices if all the work is top notch, but usually some pieces work better than others: there's sort of a tier of quality. What's annoying is when you see a show with 15 pieces and 12 are crap and 3 are good. LOL
Lol.
What do you mean the rest is bs? What do you know about the art market that he doesn’t?
10 tips I'd have gave to my join self
1. Have a day job that pays your bills and puts the pressure out of your art
2. Have a sketch book where you can practice without worrying if your art it's perfect or not
3. Experiment with different styles and mediums you don't really know what you like at this stage.
4. Don't be slave of one style just because you sold something, you are still learning.
5. Balance between doing and learning.
6. Use references, stop believing you can reinvent art.
7. Go to musiums and watch old paintings, your will get inspired even when you don't think so.
8. Keep your old paintings, you probably hate them but someone else may find them cool.
9. Go out side, meet some people and collaborate with them, this is not a solo race, your success depends on others as well.
10. Take some breaks from painting for a couple of weeks, once you come back you'll see things with another perspective.
Extra tip. Help others, you don't have to tell them all your secrets but you can teach them one things or two. You may be surprised who end up helping along the way.
My girlfriend bought a painting and once she met the artist she said she'll never buy from her anymore. So remember to be nice and friendly.
Just take you time and develop without worrying about success too early is excellent advice, but very difficult for young artists coming out of school. The art world is obsessed with finding the next, new, young, art star, it loves novelty, so there is the psychological pressure that a lot of young artists coming out of MFAs have that make them feel like they need to grab every opportunity they have while they’re still in the network of their peers, visible to potential galleries at their thesis show etc. and thus, they’re pushed into the art world trying to carve out a space for themselves in an ever growing and highly populated environment. Some students feel that if they drop out of the loop, they lose touch with the art world and the art world forgets very quickly, especially when you’re young and unestablished, it’s not an easy situation.
Being in the art world, having gallery representation, can be difficult to navigate if you have not gotten to the point where you’ve made a lot of mistakes and found what you actually want to do, because galleries don’t like indecisive artists who are continually changing up their work, cause it makes them hard to market. But you need time to develop after grad school, to work through all those voices and view points thrown at you, to find what you want to say and do, and they takes time, time which many young artists don’t think they have. Some young artists probably don’t even realize the necessity to spend time developing after school, which sometimes becomes a rude awakening when it hits them that they’re not really making the work they want to make, but they may realize this when they’ve established themselves as doing a certain kind of work, and it’s then much more difficult to abandon this artistic identity to start from scratch and make lots of mistakes when in the position where you’re known for a certain thing and galleries and museums have promoted you in a certain way.
I wish I took at least 2-4 years after grad school to tear my practice down, and really scrutinize what I want out of this stuff, what my priorities truly are, and allow myself to be vulnerable in private and make a lot of mistakes to find what I want. It’s the scarier thing to do, but the smarter thing to do in the long run. Young people are scared to miss opportunities, but what even scarier is getting to the middle of your career, having a decent amount of public visibility, and realizing that you never truly defined what you wanted your artistic practice to be, but just rode on the momentum of the tail end of grad school and the theories and practices that were ingrained into you by your teachers and advisors.
I went to art school for a bit. I dropped out. Best move I ever made! I don't like the 'art world ' I feel it is completely pretentious. There is a way to be a creative without any of this magical information. Just make your thing. Mostly enjoy making it then put it out there and get it seen. These days there are no need for galleries and circles of people you need to impress and penetrate. Everyone and anyone is a potential collector. Case in point...I once sold a painting to my window cleaner! There's no need for a studio space. You can make art anywhere. I believe where there's a will there's a way!
True advice
Take time to succeed
Not go for immediate success
Only if your life was in the right direction from the start
Great advice about playing the long game and realizing less is more. I get the overall message 👌🏾 Thanks for sharing.
Life is a biography.Thank you for sharing a little light to it. For those that didn't get the point: Real Artist Change lives. They get the message across. He's doing his part, I'm doing my part by helping a mental disability program. What about you? Uplifting others is the Key of enjoying your work even more. This is what Artist must discover in themselves.
Thank you for always uploading such wonderful and interesting videos !
The Swiss essentially don't know what struggling is. Mostly they artificially buy some struggle for being able to feel life. his advice is good though (if you have a chalet in Switzerland)
Sounds like that I have to find customers to buy my work over there?!
From a certain, ironic point of view you're right 🤣... Anyway his advice is good also for skint people... The point is that it's just harder to get when you're skint or, by various other factors, when you're pressurized to have certain achievements
It's great to hear from Not. I knew him from the early 80's in NYC and remember a beautiful show he did on Bway around Mercer street on the top floor of the building. I wish I could remember the name of the gallery. Not is wonderful and so prolific....
Yeah, he's interesting
To be a successful artist you need a patron. My friends who are successful artists usually have successful parents or parents in law. They are going to help fund your early work and introduce you to wealthy or influential people that are going to buy your work. But yeah, showing how you struggle doesn't make a good impression on potential buyers.
This guy is the king of its not about how good you are, it's who you know.
Thats true
I went to an art show a few months ago, to interview the artists and find out how they made it. All of them had wealthy spouses who supported them, and it turns out very few had actually made any money doing it, despite making it their full time business. I plotted and fantasized about getting a sugar daddy on the drive home.
@@gooshidildos2635 Interesting
Sooo, this is 4.5 min of a man rambling. He had absolutely nothing to say but holy hell he loves the sound of his own voice
Not Vital Advice.
There, fixed the title.
Beyond funny!
He's right, I've got a full time job, side hustles and my unfinished art works. Still can't pay my rent on my own. Thanks dad!
That's the attitude he was talking about. It makes people not want to be around you.
Thank you so much ❤️
Thank you so much!
This guy's mindset is actually quite helpful and freeing. Most people will think this advice is not good advice, but they would be wrong. Stop caring about money. Money corrupts. Money is artificial. If you only create for the purpose of creating, you will succeed. If you create for the purpose of making money, you will most definitely not succeed.
Artists worry to much about success. The reward structure for art is unlike any other career. Success should not be the immediate goal when developing as an artist, it should only be a long term dream. It takes many years and dedication to become successful and most will fail. Not only must you be mentally strong, you must also be willing and able to advertise your skill and expertise, along side being technically proficient.
Its a wise message even if its a little hard to understand
Indeed. An artist makes work because they must. They just make. They don't have a choice in the matter. Make it by any means possible.
I love what he shares.
so good! so true! Take your time to develope yourself and dont give up!
I'm only 19 but the one thing I learnt while pursuing art is that there is no place for artists in this world.. I haven't given up still
Thank you for right advices💚
Love it, great advice!
Random rambling wow thanks
He talks just like our art professors .. even the body language! 🤣
Great conversation many thx
pretty sad industry, to be told not even to admit you're hungry otherwise some blue blood art collector won't buy your paintings.
It really seems like they only want their own to succeed some times
This is the first hate comment I have ever placed in my life. But i have no words how much this video pisses me off.
It’s not really about success it’s about the ability to continuing making art without worrying about tomorrow..
Rule of five is well known. More than that and client can't make up mind. Three is ideal. They will pick either for desire, belonging, or esteem.
Yeah, it's a very interesting psychology
Was hoping to get some good advice from a seasoned artist, but this was beating around the bush.
I did not understand one of his idea. He begin to explain a idea and then switch to another one.
Love it ❤
I thought it was pretty clear. Chill out - take your time - it’s not easy and you might not succeed so you might as well enjoy yourself.
*Very good. This advice helps.*
That was the most vague unhelpful advice I think I’ve ever heard
I'm hungry!
Agreed
Agreed, I love how he starts with “practical advice is …” then mumbles rest of the video
I understood what he said
1. Don't put too many works for someone to see to make it easier for the person to choose
2. Don't tell a client that you need the money. Just showcase your work and tell them the price
3. There are no rules when it comes to the display of your work. It is a journey of self discovery
4. Don't expect immediate gratification of your work. Results come with time and patience
Your wrong it's helpful advice
“Not giving up… that’s it”
Just sat through four minutes of blabbering only to hear, at the four minute mark, one piece of advice: "Just do it." Nike already told us that.
Well isn't he right? Just work. Just do it. Don't sit there procrastinating. If your motivating factor is money, then you will fail.
perhaps you are addicted to punch lines, so everything else sounds like blabbering
@@gc8972b Actually, a "punchline" is, by definition, something that's meant to be funny. My statement about Nike wasn't meant to be funny, it was simply true: Nike's logo, is, in fact, "Just Do It."
@@jeffbrown2982 thank you. I meant "soundbites". Nice-sounding, short and not necessarily true
Hinestly people Do buy stuff from artists that say they need to pay rent. It happens online all the time. Its like part donation part patron of art
♫ Take your time, hurry up
Choice is yours, don’t be late ♫
Having debt will block your artistic thought and process,
a true artist will make art about the artistic block they're going through because of debt. That's the beauty of art...
@@SamiChepi Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, Anish Kapoor, all not true artists?
@@dimitrilikissas you must learn how to comprehend. I never said no one is a true artist. Sometimes I wonder if you people actually read to comprehend. Where did I say all those people aren't artists? Will said having debt will block your artistic thought process. I said a true artist will make art about the artistic block they're going through because of debt. Make lemonade with the lemons you have and don't let that be a reason for not creating art. My comment has nothing to do with your love for Koon or anyone else because you could have mentioned Picasso and how he was a poor student but died a wealthy artist.... anyway, don't let your financial situation stop you from creating art. Create, advocate and believe in your work. A true artist knows ANYTHING is art regardless of your financial situation.
Picasso never done a hard day's graft in his life , it all came to easy for him , try working a hard long day work with debt , then standing in front of your canvas , it's hard,
@@SamiChepi Why the arrogance?
Just do it and don't give up.
i make relaxing art videos on CZcams and tiktok to help you feel calm and relaxed 🦋🖤, feel free to view my artwork 🥰🎨 🖤
I got the message.
One has to doubt whether the artist who says it is important before is a truly important artist. And advice can be helpful.
100% agree
As hard as it is to be an artist, would you accept a million dollars under the provision that you were never allowed to (for e.gs:) play a musical instrument, write a story, draw a picture, animate a film, make a videogame ever again as long as you live? I'd rather do art and not make a living than have all the money I need and try to resist doing anything interesting and creatively fun with my time.
I know 2 artists. #1 is making a living instantly out of highschool #2 is not she's in college trying to figure out how to make a living in art. #1 is a hippy chick who sells her paintings & sculptures at farmers markets ECT she makes $60,000+/yr. #2 pays her school $60,000+ for tuition. Do you see the difference? Now you know why some artists don't make it. #1 signed up for a local market #2 signed up for art school. We all make our choices, most don't choose art they choose school.
not vital information ... thanks for sharing
really gooooooooooooood video!!! I'm an italian painter :) greetings from Milan
"Thats it!" ;)
His name is Not Vital?
God knows what he said, he couldn´t finish a thought.
🤣🤣🤣 good one
you obviously weren't listening. he said (paraphrasing): "if you're behind on rent and welding a dog and a man don't give up by doing basically." those are words to live by, if you ask me
That’s adhd af
Hypatia, what is like the problem of speaking wait where is my pencil don´t give up, man?
Typical artist.
why he imitates slavoj zizek?
gapjin art thank you so much.
I got yeh a job this way saying i really need a job, very interesting job as composition teacher. But later they threat me like a mac donalds employee
ooof poor guy. need to have him speak in his native language on this topic then translate it. he was scratching the surface but you could tell the depths of what he meant from his eyes
Yep
*If ur gonna sell art dont say you need to pay rent or your hungry*
Twitter artists: let me Introduce myself
Fantastic
i make relaxing art videos on CZcams and tiktok to help you feel calm and relaxed 🦋🖤, feel free to view my artwork 🥰🎨 🖤
Gold
Father👏
Not Vital: "thats it..."
Universe: Ends.
He's stylish tbh
Desperation repels collectors like rat poison.
I really hate advice like that. It’s basically saying keep doing it for long time and hopefully u will make it. Like is that even advice? It’s like saying just keep living and one day you may happy. Like really?
Exactly, no real advice here.
Longevity today includes knowing business or enough to hire accounts, legal and marketing.
It's easy to talk about money when you have some.
Would you rather be taught about money from a broke person?
It's easy to talk about money when you don't have any as well 😅
@@nekuno9205 yes
This guy is droppin wisdom
Sounds like u needa get some
👍👏
That works in new york or usa or in France. But not in Germany.
new york is in the usa
"We were maybe in New York in the 80's maybe not actually" uh...thanks?
Well thank goodness he was an artist and not a public speaker…
Its very good advice
And maybe manipulate your own shows? That's an idea. Many times the art won't sell themselves, it's very much like marketing, maybe it's all marketing. You need to entice and create a demand that wasn't there. Just thinking out loud.
yea honestly if you want to be a financially independent artist its minimal talent a majority marketing. Its a tough world innit
You got to play two roles. While creating be a true artist and take bliss in the process. Then when you are done become a marketer, whose job is to take that art away from the artist and sell it at the best price with whatever means possible.
@@prabhdeepsingh5642 "Then when you are done become a marketer, whose job is to take that art away from the artist and sell it at the best price with whatever means possible."
Capitalist indoctrination has worked well on someone here, clearly.
A demand is always there. We, as mankind, are the consequences of our own demand. But everybody has it's own. And so does art have. With art you have to prepare first the meal, than people have to eat. And then art is gone.
To manipulate is to be too late, as an artist you have to be before in time. Your fault is that you consider to sell not art but yourself. An artist does not only reveal, he does also betray. Art is no traitor, it will never sell you.
@@SvalbardSleeperDistrict He is being pragmatic, and he is correct. You have to think like people who can create demand and move product. He is saying to take control of that, yourself, rather than be a victim of it, precisely because he is aware of the system, not indoctrinated by it.
Get👏🏾to👏🏾the👏🏾point👏🏾
My advice to him is " keep making art, and refrain from giving advice, or interviews, keep creating, less mumbo-jumbo, more imagery, if that's what you make"
why?
Some artists I know love to wade neck-deep in mumbo-jumbo, dont worry it is their way of coming out of their heads a little haha
He’s just saying there isn’t a science to this. They have to put time into the craft “art for arts sake”
@@PhilMccamley true! Haahah
@@qhoward5328 exactly!
Been a failed artist for 20 years. Now you can't even represent yourself in comments without it getting deleted. This world is a pain to navigate.
OMG spit it out
Vital Not Vital
So many words to say so little.
easy for him to say
Exactly why I only have one glory hole in my apt. Guaranteed throating
He didn’t have any profound advice to give
No disrespect but this is "not vital" information.
That’s it
i make relaxing art videos on CZcams and tiktok to help you feel calm and relaxed 🦋🖤, feel free to view my artwork 🥰🎨 🖤
What is his name?
It’s Not Vital 😊
Thank you for letting me know!..That’s one of the coolest names.
Sigourney Weaver plus Bram Stoker minus Barnett Newman
What is he trying to say, I swear I can t follow any of his idea
lmoa
a swiss person that lives in the US telling people not to worry about paying rent....come to LATAM buddy, see the world.
Guy dresses like Walter White
🤍✨
this guy uses the word "colleagues" , yea he is definitely a conartist
I was hoping for the last part of advice and then he said... that's it lol.... good advice tho
simply the way this guy has his legs crossed is proof he is a conartist, not an artist..
Good advice if you want money and people around you who don’t really care about you. Tell everyone when you need rent. The ones who don’t respond don’t care about you. If you’re making art to make money, you already missed the point. Plenty of ways to make money, art not being one of them. Might as well advise on how to win the lottery, haha. The only good advice on how to make money at art is to stop trying to make art so much and start trying to make money more. This guys art sucks by the way. If you think his art is good you’ve spent too much time in school and corporate environments to know what’s good and what isn’t. All this guy does is help super rich people in exchange for being rich himself and all you art morons just perpetuate all this nonsense. Your art is dirty and your money is dirty yet you act so distinguished… you are the kings of clown world
Uh, what?
Didn’t understand anything he was saying. What a waste of time.