Is there a market for digital art? Are there digital art collectors or buyers?

Here's a little story about digital arts and its market written by Sam A. Nassar.

Read it now

Good to see this kind of thing in discussion; but actually the core of this is not a new discussion, Marcel Duchamp in a rare open exhibition of Salon d'Autom submitted a urinal under the pseudonym of R Mutt.

His point being first of all, anyone is an artist and secondly what he choses as a reflection of his artistry becomes art. In some ways in a display that they "just didn't get it" or perhaps they did and wanted to reiterate the point- the curators choose this same urinal as part of the permanent exhibition in the Tate Modern.
The point being the "what is art" question has long been flung right out the window.

The professor mentioned Mona Liza; There is no doubt that if a progressive man like Leonardo Devinci was alive to today he would be neck deep in polygons and pixels and would have abandoned oils when he was 5 years old. We would have Mona Lisa's whose eyes really did follow you- can you only imagine handing Leonardo Z-brush?

The professors knock down of art is in the money can also easily be cast aside- van Gogh died in poverty, as did many other artists- would the argument follow that their work was not art until it became worth something.

But if is it about money- we all get paid everyday to be an artist and we don't have to die before our art is worth something. Lets face it- it's a great time to be an artist- pity the fool still using oils.
For naming the worlds most famous digital artist- I would name Dylan Cole; I would guess nobody at Sotheby's has heard of him- but they think Turner is exiting and Dylan would destroy him with one wacom tied behind his back.

I actually asked some Sotheby's buyers recently who they rated as the most talented artist right now - hoping to challenge them graffitti artists like Banksy, Black Le Rat and AKAY but they destained from mentioning anyone that is still living.

Where is that professor ?- I want a verbal punch-up.

Interestingly enough that the professor refer to the museum pieces as to the template of art. I mean that the idea of art exists if works of art are integrated in our everyday life. Things which has been lead out from everyday practice just the illusion.
Museums try to legitimate their right to be mediums between people and creativity. But everything what we establish or originate operate in our society as the connection between people. Each thing has own image that means a lot for people who own it. But if we take away this art and place it to museum or another place it would be nothing just myth, that has been defined by those who are interested in obtaining values.
Also, we should understand that most of master pieces were done for money, just because people should consider with initial needs.

Very interesting and well written article. This debate has been going on since digital art first emerged. The good news is that all over the world there are now galleries presenting digital art displays. I know several artists from another art site that have had their own digital art shows in places like Germany, Japan, and in the US. There is also a large traveling exhibit by Common Ground that show cases digital art.

However, the "market" that I see for digital art is still emerging and evolving as does the technology. A majority of artists that I have worked with are not selling in galleries. Most are not selling prints. Most are making their money with their art skills by producing art for companies that need art. The markets include (but are not limited to): video games, magazines, architecture, packaging design, website design, advertising, medical, and education. All businesses need to visually represent themselves well. Where there is a need for a visual representation, artists are needed. The business markets are now a digital artist's paradise.

Yes, there are still people that will want prints to hang on their walls, or to wear on their shirts. But, the profitable "market" for digital artists exists outside galleries and inside virtually all businesses.

Keep up the creative mischief!
Lillian Hawkins

Than we have resemblance, i mean the first statement was like "art for art", now we have "art for money". Could we imagine than "art for people" (ars longa, vita brevis est)?

| Dotname |

-Thanks for your comment; you hit the nail on the head for some critical points in that discussion.

- And you are making good approach for Leonardo & Z-brush.
You gave that professor a big verbal punch-up; with this nice reply.

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| setales |

-Thanks, you are right; the definition of museum is place where important things are preserved.

” it would be nothing just myth, that has been defined by those who are interested in obtaining values.” That’s way they wait for some artists to die, then they celebrate with their artworks in the museum, as their artworks are now part of the myth and the history.

-Others estimate the art pieces counting on their emotions, creativity, ideas,…

I don’t want to go beyond that, but No one was totally right is his/her vision about art; even Freud …all of them had added pieces to the big jigsaw of Art.

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| Lily Hawk |

Thanks Lily,

I really like the optimistic tone in your post.
I know, there are some digital art galleries here and there (especially for digital photography) …but they don’t have reputation as traditional art galleries.

I’ll tell you this story to simplify why not; I read that in a website some time ago, it was talking about an artist who contacted the gallery curator to be participated in their show, and when the curator met her, she asked her about the nature of her paintings;
She replied “My artworks are digital” the curator frown and commented “Oh how did you make your artwork? is that by composing clip arts available on the software you use?”

Anyone who live in the physical world has tried before to bring a paper and pencil then trying to draw something so he/she knows how difficult to make a masterpiece of art .
But with the superabundant environment of multimedia ads digital images …anyone think it easy to create digital art.

Finally, they judged on the tool that used to create the art, but they didn't judge on the content of art.
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It was pleasure to read your comments,

Sam A. Nassar