The Affordable Art Fair is a relative thing. Cap was originally 3 grand and back then It was like “That’s not affordable.” Now they cap it at 10 but there are some smart galleries that bring their new artist. One place has sold 18 originals by a new artist, all miniatures of South West London things, all for under £600. Because people come there wanting to leave with art, but they don’t want to blow two grand plus. I certainly don’t want to blow more than a grand, and honestly less than that now I’ve learnt that art doesn’t resale like I’d been led to believe. I have written before about the myth that art appreciates in value. “Art is the safest investment you can make,” some friend of my dad said in the eighties and it stuck with child Al. It made sense of the prices. Maybe I’m selling through the wrong channels, but I’ve been knocked back too many times and by too much to even dream that there’s a smidgen of truth in that. And I’ve tried multiple channels. Art crashes as fast as a new car, as far as I’ve experienced. Get it if you like it. If it’s too much it’s too much. But for the fêted few, and you know who they are off the bat these days as the machine isn’t there to look after the practitioners, it just oils itself. And as a result they’ll all tank when the next generation comes in as everyone is just blowing bubbles. My friend’s grandpa had crazy prices on all of it. Slowly, perhaps, and with a gallery. But like antiques, you won’t get the price you want without your own shop and enough time for the right buyer to show up.
Nonetheless I enjoyed looking at what was a very good and wide selection of curious tactile works. I would have spewed money if I had it to spew. I’d have bought one of Damilola’s and one of Stephane Gautier’s.
Post fair I went home and bought a chicken instead. Practical spending. Roasted it.
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I’ve had a bag of nuts in my pocket for the last week and I’m worried. I transfer it from coat to coat.
I’ve been looking after the local crows at this time of year for a while now. It’s not an easy time, the natural world breeds little food. There have been bold and brilliant crows here for longer than people, and they keep out the rats and mice while having strong personalities.
There’s a building site over the road. Also they can get into the bins if some idiot leaves them out overnight. The foxes will make the mess in the wee hours, but the crows will fearlessly take advantage of the mess in daylight hours when stupid people walk the world thinkingn it’s them filthy crows wot did it etc etc
I haven’t seen a crow for over a week. Coming on a fortnight. I know it cos the nuts never last this long in my pocket.
I dread to say it, but I think someone has exterminated the local crows. My army! I’m gonna go on a proper search in the next day or two, and I might get in touch with the RSPB if no sign. People in cities can be extremely dumb and short sighted.
I might make use of the lady who howls for her dachsund every morning. “ZOLTAN” she cries (although in fact it’s called Mocha and she’s Canadian and we misheard). She will have a good sense of the crows and their ways. I hope they’re okay. Nuts won’t be so relevant soon, coming into spring. But I’ll keep holding them in the hope they have just been foraging far from home. I miss the crows.
AlBarclay 