Where all the artists go.

I had an interesting conversation with a local businessman in Malaysia, the other day. He is in the fashion business and thus is an habitual observer of all things related to his passion – and that includes fine art.

My wife is an artist, as some of you will know. He asked her if she intended to make a career of it and make money out of it. She gave a nod and a simple “I do.”

He grew reflective. “Many artists in Malaysia just have one exhibition and then disappear.”, he observed a little tiredly, at the thought. “I think it is just a hobby for them.”

In my view he had understood it precisely wrong. It is not that artists in Malaysia only tinker with their art, as a “hobby”, show it once then disappear. What is happening is much more sad than that. What is happening, it is clear to me from observing the situation and speaking to artists, is that the artists are DISAPPOINTED with the response. What frequently happens with artists in Malaysia is that they hold an exhibition and the response is muted. Perhaps the artist doesn’t sell many pieces. Indeed, usually, I would say they lose money on their exhibition. After all, many spaces here charge a daily fee to exhibit – MAPS, for instance, charges an enormous 1,000 RM per day, for the privilege of showing one’s art. These fees almost ensure that new artists lose considerably, if they decide to exhibit in such galleries/spaces.

In a way, the prompt disappearance of these artists from the art scene, after one show – which is quite common – is a rational decision. The disappointed artist is left with the bitter thought that “there is no money in it” or “they hated my stuff” – and they will never, ever go to the expense, bother and effort of exhibiting again. So the artist disappears and is never heard from again. In this way, I am sure that many good voices never get to sing of their art and their world views – their work is lost to us all, forever.

The problem here is not with the artists, but with the system. The way the art market is organized, makes it difficult for the young artist to establish themselves, without incurring considerable cost – or without being deeply disappointed. What is needed is some public art spaces, which are open to newcomers – but which are FREE to hire. This public subsidy for young artists, will ensure that these voices do not fall silent prematurely and that they have a chance to reach their ultimate audience. The public can also play a role here. Why not go to exhibitions of young artists, take a look at their works – and, if you like them, buy one or more? You should note that art makes a good long term investment, since, on average, art prices rise faster than property prices – so, not only will you be helping an artist develop a career and give them hope for their futures – but you will be helping to build your own future wealth too, by building a particularly attractive (in many ways) investment portfolio. Were this to be the common response to young artists, Malaysia would have a much more vibrant art culture than it does. In a way, the depth of art in a nation is precisely related to the willingness of the people to buy it, when the artists are young and starting out. If Malaysian art is shallower than it need be, it is only because the people wait a little too long, too often, to appreciate the outpourings of creativity of their young artists. If not supported at the beginning, there will, most often, be a swift end to such nascent careers.

Part of the problem, perhaps, is the local obsession with “branding”. I note, for instance, that older, establish artists, in a recent Henry Butcher auction, commanded prices up to 1 million Ringgits per piece of work. These are healthy prices and it is good to see local investors supporting such venerable names. However, it seems clear from the phenomenon of disappearing young artists, that the same support is not there, often, for those just starting out in their art careers. Thus it is that the pipeline from first show to venerable, brand name status, is not being properly supported. So it is that many artists fall silent.

The most important stage at which to support an artist, by buying their work, is at the beginning – for that will encourage them to continue. That is also the time to buy to realize the highest long term gains. So, seek out young artists, and invest in their work – you are not only investing in your own financial future, but in the future of the nation’s culture, itself.

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MacArthur Fellows "Genius Grants" 2009

Every year, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation gives out between 20 and 40, $500,000 US dollar awards to creative people. The purpose of the awards is to support these proven creative individuals, in their work, so that they can better focus upon it, without so many worries regarding funding. It is, I think, one of the best premises for a foundation and one most likely to lead to the betterment of the world.



This year's awards have been announced. The recipients are, as usual, from a very wide range of backgrounds and pursuits. The only thing they have in common, is their creative drive. The list is taken from Wikipedia but has its ultimate source as the MacArthur Foundation itself.



The recipients are:
Lynsey Addario, photojournalist; Maneesh Agrawala, computer vision technologist; Timothy Barrett, papermaker; Mark Bradford, mixed media artist; Edwidge Danticat, novelist; Rackstraw Downes, painter; Esther Duflo, economist; Deborah Eisenberg, short story writer; Lin He, molecular biologist; Peter Huybers, climate scientist; James Longley, filmmaker;

L. Mahadevan, applied mathematician; Heather McHugh, poet; Jerry Mitchell, investigative reporter; Rebecca Onie, health services innovator; Richard Prum, ornithologist; John A. Rogers, applied physicist; Elyn Saks, mental health lawyer; Jill Seaman, infectious disease physician
Beth Shapiro, evolutionary biologist; Daniel Sigman, biogeochemist; Mary Tinetti, geriatric physician; Camille Utterback, digital artist; Theodore Zoli, bridge engineer.



They shall each receive $500,000 US dollars, in quarterly instalments, over a five year period. This will enable many of them to do projects they wouldn't otherwise have been able to do.



There is only one limitation of these awards. The recipients must be citizens or residents of the USA. This is a pity, because there are creative people all over the world and they, too, need support to enable their work to happen. However, I understand that an American foundation would wish to focus on Americans.



There is a solution to this. Why don't other foundations around the world - and other billionaires with a view to establishing a foundation - establish a similar award, preferably one that would not be geographically limited? It seems to me that there could be no better one to help ensure a richer, deeper, more diverse future for Mankind, than to support the work of its creative individuals. I have seen piecemeal support of talented people from other foundations - but nothing of this magnitude - $500,000 - nor of this consistency - a goodly number of awards every year. I think it would be good if the MacArthur Foundation were to act as a template for similar awards around the world. The lives of all of us would be thereby enriched, as creative people are freed to focus on their work.



In my eyes, the MacArthur Fellowships are more important to the future of Mankind, than the Nobel Prizes. This is because the MacArthur Fellowships are EARLY interventions in a career to support that career while the recipients are still young enough to produce great creative work, subsequent to receiving the award. The Nobel Prizes on the other hand, are so carefully considered, and take so long to be awarded, after the work done, that the careers of its recipients are usually in their twilight years - or at an end - by the time the Prize is awarded. Therefore, Nobel Prizes have little effect on the work done by the recipients in their lifetime. The MacArthur Fellowships, on the other hand, can directly provoke a much more productive life than would otherwise have been - because the recipient is free not to have to work for a living, but can, instead, focus entirely on creative production.



So, were a billionaire or a nation to establish a new Prize for genius, it should be modelled on the MacArthur Foundation - and NOT on the Nobel Foundation. Please don't understand this comment. The Nobel Prize is very important in conferring recognition on a lifetime's work - but it is less important than the MacArthur Fellowship in facilitating such work. Both kinds of prize have their role. It is just that, in my opinion, the MacArthur Fellowship model is more directly productive. Interestingly, however, the Nobel Prize is much more prestigious. This is probably a function of rarity, since there are more MacArthur Fellowships each year than Nobel Prizes. It is also a function of the kind of award it is. The Nobel Prize Winners are the best of the best of their kind, in their field, proven by decades of evaluation. The MacArthur Fellows are those with proven creativity - and PROMISE of more to come. Of course, what has not yet happened - the future work of MacArthur Fellows - cannot be judged or assessed - and so the merit of the prize seems less certain. It is impossible to point to the work and say "This justifies the prize". With the Nobel Prize, there is no doubt of the work, at all - for it has all been done.



Thus, the MacArthur Fellowship is a braver prize than the Nobel. It is one that is making a punt on future work, of people shown to have done good past work. It is vote of confidence in their potential. It is also recognition of that promise.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and seven months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, five years exactly, and Tiarnan, twenty-eight months, please go to:http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html I also write of gifted education, IQ, intelligence, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, College, University, Chemistry, Science, genetics, left-handedness, precocity, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, wunderkind, wonderkind, genio, гений ребенок prodigy, genie, μεγαλοφυία θαύμα παιδιών, bambino, kind.

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