What Picasso Knew: Branding Tips For Artists From An Art Basel Insider

Do artists sell their artistic souls when they consider not just the aesthetic value of their work, but its monetary value? I have a colleague whose daughter attended a well-respected art school and makes terrific etchings.** They’ve had many conversations about the “art for art sake” quandary given that her daughter is just starting to make a name for herself among print collectors and is grappling with how to extend her reach. My colleague counsels, correctly, that art and business are not only not mutually exclusive but that an artist should know the value of his or her work and not make excuses for it. I concur completely and believe that most thoughtful artists are in it for the right reason, honestly creating work they feel passionate about, yet - and yes - hoping it will pay the bills.

Picasso was not just an artistic genius, but a smart businessman. The fact that he was way ahead of his time in understanding the merits of building a brand name for himself was at the heart of a conversation I had with Sue Hostetler on the subject of artists and brand-building. Sue is the Editor in Chief of Art Basel Miami Beach Magazine, which covers this venerable annual art fair and the world’s top curators, collectors, galleries and the artists that attend. She also writes a monthly column, The Aesthete, which explores the myriad issues of pop culture. Given her perspective of the contemporary art scene, I knew she could shed light on the topic of artists as “brands.” Here is just part of our discussion:

Allen Adamson: I’m not an artist by any stretch of the imagination, but I can only assume that most artists don’t go into the field thinking about whether they’ll become a brand but rather, that they have found a natural way to express themselves and their view on the world. Is the notion of “branding” oneself as an artist a contemporary dynamic given the increasing commercialization of everything?

Sue Hostetler: Well, on the face of it, I do think that in the last five to ten years there has been this heightened sense about branding oneself as an artist, among the most obvious examples being Damien Hirst, Murikami or Jeff Koons. Dealers are global, the art world is global and more competitive, and there is a frenzied immediacy with the media and the market for art – everything happens so much faster – partly the result of the Internet. In addition, there’s been a proliferation of art fairs, not just Art Basel but, most recently, Frieze New York. However, if you go all the way back, I think Picasso was really one of the first artists who thought about his work in a more global, broader manner. He realized he was a great painter, but he also realized that this ability, his innate talent, in and of itself, wasn’t going to be enough. He knew he had to create an aura, some way to define himself beyond his art to prompt fascination and intrigue if he wanted those in the art world to take note.

AA: This is true for any brand. Yes, you’re selling a product and, first and foremost, to succeed it must be a superior product, but people also want an original back story. It’s not just the “what,” but the “who” that motivates consumers and, more so, that builds connections between consumer and brand. Both things have to work in conjunction.

SH: Certainly you raise the value, and in Picasso’s instance he knew he could raise the value and sell more art if he created this captivating brand persona. Think about it. Way before Madonna, Cher, Sting, he was known by a single name. He knew that this single moniker would set him apart from other artists. Picasso knew, as well, that he had to drive the bus in terms of his background story. If he didn’t do it, he knew someone else would, and probably not to his liking.

AA: He understood the power of the media, the power of public relations as a branding application. And, he understood that successful public relations is the art of getting the media to tell your story as well as, if not better than, you’d tell it yourself.

SH: Right. But you have to start with a beguiling and genuine narrative. You have to have a clear sense of yourself and what you want to stand for. For example, Rachel Feinstein is a contemporary artist who has a well-defined persona that coincides with her identity as an artist, as does Dan Colen, and this has affected the value of their art in a positive way.

AA: And, along with this, I imagine that as is the case of any smart branding effort, where you place your product is critical to how people think about you and your work. The best brands know where they can play and win. From your perspective, would you say that who you sell to, what collectors or institutions or galleries, on whose walls your art is displayed, is another factor in what helps reinforce your individual brand of art?

SH: Absolutely. Picasso was very good about giving his work to the right collectors. He was smart enough to see that, during his time, the savviest collectors were in Paris and he knew that if these collectors had his art it would support the value. The best dealers today are equally astute at knowing where and when an artist should show – or show up. But, more than this, Picasso knew how to control the spigot. He was incredibly adept when it came to matters of execution and distribution, something at which the best modern gallerists and dealers - the Gagosians and Paces - are also adept. You don’t want to flood the market, but, instead, keep your product in demand, keep buyers wanting more.

AA: Let’s go back to your point about the immediacy of today’s market. Everyone can see everything, share anything in an instant. How has this affected the branding dynamic for artists?

SH: This immediacy is a product of not only the Internet, as I mentioned, but the proliferation of art e-commerce sites and the immense number of international art fairs. Given all this, the global audience is able to access the work 24/7. The dealers play a key role in coming up with different ways to reach new audiences – the right audiences - and they seem to be coming up with more ways to exploit social media. But, it’s still a big solo show at a revered institution that probably helps cement an artist’s brand and reputation – not to mention prices – the most. A good example would be Wade Guyton. His mid-career retrospective at the Whitney last year, where his computer-generated work was exhibited, made him a superstar. Not only was it critically acclaimed, it offered him unparalleled exposure from both museum visitors and the attendant press. And, his dealer and the Whitney curators were brilliant at catching the cultural Zeitgeist with the interest in computer-made art. This made the exhibition even more fascinating and memorable.

AA: So, yes, it is a much more competitive, complex, visible, and global art market than in Picasso’s era. But, still, there are tenets of building an “artist” brand that not only wholly relevant today, but are in direct correlation to building any strong brand. How would you summarize this?

SH: I would say, first, the work has to be different and distinctive, both high quality and able to stand the test of time. Right after that would be the need for the artist to be represented by a top dealer who can be instrumental at placing the work with top collectors, arranging exhibitions at the best institutions, selling pieces to the top institutional permanent collections, ensuring the work is displayed at the highest quality art fairs and, perhaps, most importantly, is that they will control the production and the “release” of the work. Leveraging the media is another important component of crafting your image, or brand – offering an authentic, interesting personal narrative told in the best national and international publications, and written by the most well respected journalists. All of these factors have to come together for the brand to be built.

AA: I love the idea that people think the branding of an artist is a contemporary issue and that it can only hurt an artist’s reputation.

SH: Art is so much more a part of peoples’ lives today. I think that what I call the “modern machinery” of the arena, the dealers in multiple locations, the art fairs, and the institutions competing for art and art patrons, has put a spotlight on the topic of branding and artists. Why should the art world be held to a higher standard than, say, the music world? It’s a business, whether people want to see it that way or not.

**I’m all for supporting up and coming creative types. My colleague’s daughter is Julia Lucey and you can see her work at www.julialucey.com.