Winter 09 (Global)

Join us on a tour of key art galleries in the district of Chelsea in New York City. Gain an insight into the area, find out what kind of work galleries there are showing and why, and how an artist from the UK might be able to break into the New York scene.

UK based Moving-image curator William Rose is known for his extensive connections to some of the most innovative US artists. In this article he takes an insightful look at two avant-garde independent film and video organisations in New York, Light Industry and Anthology Film Archives, that supplement low incomes with a large helping of craziness!

"No important artist exists outside of the commercial art market; therefore in order to succeed an aspiring artist will need to develop a relationship to this market."

The Forum was open for all to contribute to during April 2009. The discussion is closed now but you can still read what was said below...

20 January 2009 - inauguration day for Barack Obama as 44th President of the United States of America. But what will Obama's presidency mean for arts and culture, not just in the US but world-wide? Will the message of 'hope' and 'change' extend to real improvements for artists? Axis artist and curator Hilary Jack investigates...

Lawrence Bradby's interactive article on the nature of public and private space in the booming contemporary city was commissioned in June 2008, when the warning signs of the looming recession were still a little dim. Now as we plough head-on into the gloom of the economic winter, how will the privatisation of our city streets and public spaces affect us when we might wish to postpone shopping to simply browse, meet friends or hang out?

Coming to the end of her twelve week residency as writer of The Rant, Josie Faure Walker ponders the meaning of all these words - reviews, criticism, buzz words in print and on the internet. What do you think? Answer Josie's Rant and continue the discussion below.

If beauty is still an important factor in today's society does that mean we only like looking at landscape paintings? This week Josie looks into the aesthetics of contemporary art.

What happens to your resale rights after you die? In fact, what are resale rights? As a result of 2006 EU legislation artists can now earn a small commission when their work is re-sold, but it doesn't cover non EU art-hubs such as the US or Switzerland. And it doesn't remain active if you die, leaving your estate bereft of this income. Josie looks at what this all means and what you can do about it

What did we talk about before the recession? What will happen to art? And does all this pontificating on the state of the arts in a global recession justify the almost racist jibes that have been flying about regarding Nicholas Bourriaud and his new Altermodern theory?

When is art no longer art? When an artwork is dismantled for transit is it still art? Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) took this issue to a tribunal last year - after questioning whether works by Bill Viola and Dan Flavin were art or light fittings. Josie contemplates: is the art the installation or its component parts?

In the midst of a global recession what part do the arts play in our economies? Do governments value the artistic sector enough to include it in ‘economic stimulus’ packages? President Obama’s promise to the arts looked shaky for a while but a last minute reprieve saw $50 million dollars going to preserve arts jobs in the US. Does the difficulty in even getting such a paltry amount set a precedent for an attitude towards art and culture in a recession?

Do you think Mark Wallinger's horse is lovely? And if it is will that make it a good piece of public art? At the very least let's hope it lasts a bit longer than Manchester's fated 'B of the Bang' which is soon to be taken down after a rather costly and short life

New Home Office Visa regulations spell trouble for international artists wanting to come to the UK for residencies and professional projects. The reams of paperwork and hefty fees could make it all but impossible for artists from outside of the EU to come here. What does this means to the UK? Will our own self-imposed restrictions mean we are cast out of the global art scene?

The people have saved a Master for all to enjoy. Big art names and the Scottish government got stuck into the cause to save the Titian, and now the painting has been 'saved'; but should the 7th Duke of Sunderland be paid at all from the public purse? Or would Tracey Emin's reproduction have sufficed and saved us £50 million?

Manipulation of the media may be alive and well this week as the outrage that surrounds the current show at Decima gallery in Hackney Wick takes hold in the tabloid press. Is it acceptable to use the face of Madeleine McCann pasted onto pornographic images and call it art? And whilst we are on the subject of manipulation – has Richard Prince significantly transformed the photographs in his recent work to avoid being sued by an aggrieved photographer?

If an 18-carat gold statue of Kate Moss is hardly a judicious approach to making art during a credit crunch, then how should artists position themselves at a time when the queues for the job centre snake around the corner? Where does the value of art sit when people are struggling to pay the mortgage? Is making art from ‘the everyday’ a more acceptable practice in a recession than creating gold super-models or diamond skulls?

If you think squatting is all about slumming it in a run down warehouse, with no amenities, then think again - London based DA! Collective are making a name for themselves by squatting multi-million pound Mayfair apartments with wi-fi internet and marble bathrooms. You can even take part in a whole host of timetabled art classes and discussions...But is getting your squat all over the national press really a great way to keep it?