Have you ever wondered why some artists can work their whole lives while never getting any recognition, while others seem to be selling their works for millions of dollars?
What is the difference between them?
Well, according to this informative video, it may all come down to the connections you have, which galleries are showcasing your work, and what connections those galleries have to each other.
And the conclusion of the research behind it says something shocking:
Exposure is more important than talent
Network physicist Albert-László Barabási believes he can predict who it’s going to be. And he doesn’t even need to look at the artist’s artwork. While talent is essential for an artist’s success, understanding the networks in which their work is embedded is perhaps even more important.
His 2018 research has shown that there is a network between the world’s most prestigious art galleries, and becoming part of this network by having your artwork shown in one of the galleries is a strong predictor of future reputation and success as an artist.
This is because in the world of fine art, much of the power is still controlled by gatekeepers.
He noted that if you gave him information about the first few galleries where an artist had exhibited, he could quite accurately predict how successful that artist would be 10-20 years in the future.
Check out the video above to find out more.
Nick Skillicorn
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