GRAP2495

New York Minute Study Tour

PROPOSAL DOCUMENT

THE NEW IN ART Start-ups & Innovations in the Art World

Adelina Onicas (s3424351)

DESCRIPTIONFIELD OF FOCUS: the art industry (focus on contemporary art)

INNOVATIONS INVOLVED: evolution in the use of media and tech-nology within this industry; this in turn has led to an evolution in overall communications within this industry.

TOPIC: investigating how key players within the industry are responding to the ‘new’ and how those involved in the ‘new’ are interacting with key players.

The grand old world of art has managed to resist the disruptive influence of technology and online commerce and communication. Undeterred, a handful of startups have emerged in recent years in the attempt to bring the art world into the new age of globalization and the online.

I propose to explore how these startups intend to adapt the traditional process, by which pieces of art move between artists, gallery owners and collectors, to the online environment - encapsulating both the communications involved in such a process and the commercial process itself.

I also wish to explore the views of key players within the art world in regards to these new innovations. I believe an understanding of both sides involved will shed light on the key issues that comes with innovating the art world.

• The art market has not yet found an expression online • The startups I am concerned with are revolutionising the art

market and forging this very expression. • Thier movements and models are leading the global market

when it comes to digital innovations within the art market - both to do with e-commerce and media communicaitons within this industry.

• What is happening in the NY art industry in terms of innovative startups will determine and drive what goes on in the rest of the world.

• And what will determine what happens in the NY art industry (and to these startups) are the key players within this industry - hence why thier views and opinions are of great importance.

• I wish to work as a global communications practitioner within the art industry - specializing in contemporary arts and culture.

• I would want to work with leading museums, art fairs, galleries, and cultural organizations from around the world, as well as celebrated brands that support the arts.

• Knowledge of what is new and innovative within the arts industry is vital for such work. Understanding the digital realm and what it can offer the art industry or future implications upon the industry is also vital.

• The networking opportunities this project will provide will prove invaluable to my career ambitions.

• Lastly, but certainty not least, I am an artist myself. And therefore the outcomes of this project interest me immensely.

RESEARCH PLAN

First steps will involve researching existing views. This will entail researching relevant publications, news websites, online lectures and panels and the general online sphere (social media platforms included) in regards to communications concerning innovations in the art world. Such research will enable me to gain an understanding of the current discourse and ensure my documentary is well-informed.

For example:

• Art-based: Blouin Art Info, Art Radar Journal, GalleristNY.com, MoMa lectures, ARTnews

• Start-upsbased: Made in NY, AlleyWatch, 99u.com

• General: Vanity Fair, W, New York Times, Wall Street Journal

The bulk of my research will occur through interviews with key players in both the art industry and start-up industry. These interviews will be conducted either via online methods (Skype, email etc) or occur face-to-face (once landed in New York).

Initial contact for these interviews will be made through email, Twitter, Facebook etc -- whichever platform the interviewee is most active on.

I will also visit the relevant art spaces in NYC to connect with relevant players and experience what is occurring in NY’s art scene firsthand - this will include attending gallery openings and talks.

Working in the ConArtist workspace will enable me to network with people living in NYC who are working in the art industry.

• I am genuinely interested in the topic and I believe the people whom I wish to interview are also - it is a global communication problem all in the industry are facing.

• As a global practitioner in communications, and a fellow artist, I can relate with the people whom I wish to interview.

• I will also give interviewees the option of being featured in my online magazine and in the final documentary publication - as an active particpant in this conversation (that’s occurring in the online environment) I am a legitimate candidate for conducting such research.

KEY PLAYERS*

ART WORLD

START-UPS

ARTISTS GALLERIES

EDUCATORS

CuratorsDirectorsOwners

Major• MoMa

• New Museum of Contemporary Art

• Whitney

• Guggenheim

• Met

• Gagosian

Independent• Art in General

• Sperone Westwater

• L&M Arts

• Agora Gallery

• Luhring Augustine Gallery

• SGDA

Establishedand

Emerging

Parsons New School of Design

School of Visual Arts

NYU (Fine Arts Institute)

ArtsyPaddle8ArtspaceArtsicle

(all based in NYC)

* These lists have yet to be finalised

PRODUCTION PLAN

MAY

JUNE

Proposal completed

Documentary Presented

Pre-departure meeting

Arrive in NYC

Brainstorm & Design Online Magazine• develop strategic plan • take it live (buy domain, create requisite

Twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc accounts)

Begin participation in relevant online conversations

Conduct literature research - online & offline

Determine key people to interview & how best to do so

Begin contacting key players & organising interviews

Experiment with format/medium of documentary• research potential resources in NYC

Start interviews ASAP - to conduct as many as possible

Visit requisite art spaces and galleries• attend art related events • attend gallery openings

begin work on production side ASAP

Get involved with art-based startup community

FORMAT & RATIONALE

The final documentary piece will be a piece of art.

A sort of homage to the object that lies at the heart of this complex, global communication problem -- the artwork itself.

Without art, there is no issue. Similarly, I have taken the approach, that without art there is no further discovery or solution to the topic at hand.

As a photographer, the documentary will form a sort of printed collage poster of photographic images [similar to the ones littered throughout this proposal document]. I will take these photos of interviewees, NYC, art, art galleries etc - all things that impact upon and are impacted upon by the ‘new’ in art. Along with photographic images will be text (from the interview) and other mediums.

I also intend to include QR codes within the final documentary which allows the audience to link, through their mobile devices, to the Online Magazine and to the particular interview the piece of art is portraying and other relevant materials found online.

Therefore there is also a web component to the documentary - if time and resources allow, I wish to print the online magazine for the presentation night.

Scope: will be determined by the amount of interviews conducted

Resourcesrequired: photographic equipment, art supplies, printers, workspace to produce collage poster, internet access etc.

PUBLICATION PLAN

Most importantly will be a space (a possible gallery) that will be able to exhibit the final documentary. A small, contemporary gallery would be ideal, possibly even one whose director or curator I have interviewed. The gallery space at the ConArtist workspace would work well also.

The Online Magazine created for this project will be one of the outlets through which I wish to publish the documentary findings. If I am able to print the online magazine then I would wish to distribute it as a free document available in various galleries around NYC.

I have yet to absolutely determine the appropriate avenues of publication for the documentary. As interviews are conducted and networks made with relevant personnel I am sure the right publication plan will become clear.

SKETCH The final collage will incorporate typed quotations, hyperlinks, QR codes, and personal photos related to the art world as well as stock photos. The final product will be refined given inspiration I’m sure I’ll encounter once in NYC.