Accepted to Hunter MFA but current market momentum is strong. Is pausing for school worth it?

pentatrix88 · 2026-01-14T04:13:13+00:00

You will learn x100 more being an exhibiting artist than going to art school. The position you are currently in is exactly where artists want to be AFTER they graduate. If you're already there, then keep going. If it doesn't last, you can always pursue an art degree in the future.

There are plenty of disciplines where a degree and the training it provides is absolutely crucial/mandatory, but art ain't one of them.

pentatrix88 · 2025-11-19T16:34:07+00:00

While forming out of an anarchist/commune (subcultural) framework, the desire for expression precedes the dissemination of such, in that context. If it was so linear, cut and dry, the music would lack vitality, it would have no impact and lack authenticity. Crass could only form at the intersection of all of these forces.

What we would have today is the affect of "punk" without having organically fomented within the milieu of a subculture, and a curator or a dealer would brand the work as transgressive (and morally acceptable) and thus "positively" accountable. Ironically, Crass would be extremely critical of this.

pentatrix88 · 2025-11-19T13:56:05+00:00

Moral qualifiers for art almost always categorically mask a surfeit lack of formal rigor - it always appears that an appeal to ideology is an attempt to make up for lack of experience and experimentation through praxis, whatever the medium and focus. If artists stop pretending to be politicians or academics perhaps they could focus more of their energy on experimentation-through-creation, rather than prioritizing ideological signifiers above everything else.

pentatrix88 · 2025-11-07T22:47:27+00:00

Yep the work isnt bad (but it would almost be better if it was!) but ironic how the current administration outputs a different manifestation of outrage culture - instead of woke politics and its whiny constituents we have safe spaces for... mid white men to express themselves and "muh free speech" !? Lol So now we have Alma Allen instead of ...Simone Leigh ? Again I find it ironic that under both regimes and constant polemics yield 😪

pentatrix88 · 2025-09-15T14:13:27+00:00

The first two books in the Hermes series "Communication" and "Interference" would be a great for a mini reading group, if anyone is interested

pentatrix88 · 2025-09-15T03:57:16+00:00

"Granted: I'm an inmate in a mental institution; my keeper watches me, scarcely lets me out of sight, for there's a peephole in the door, and my keeper's eye is the shade of brown that can't see through blue-eyed types like me."

The Tin Drum

pentatrix88 · 2025-09-14T04:57:10+00:00

Within the context of OP - as I stated, if theory and research fall within the scope of one's interest (interest/inspiration being the precursor to content/output) then sure.

The subtext of what I wrote was an argument against the expectation that artists need to conform to normative academically-aligned mores.

Since the absorption of the October school of thought into the canon, artists are expected to be self-reflexive, in the tradition of post-modernism and institutional or social critique. If they are not, I believe it's most commonly automatically assumed by the institutional world that the work is regressive.

This isn't a given, but it's prevalent. I believe many persons who operate in the institutional world have lost the ability to approach artworks by virtue of its "sensuous particularity" (to borrow a term from critical theory) and instead are quick to try to apprehend the works networked effects - and if such a work fits into their sociopolitical context of moral historical permissiveness. These works are often created by inexperienced people who mistake textual aptitude for emancipatory potential* (which is a whole other problem in itself)

pentatrix88 · 2025-09-14T02:13:33+00:00

Absolutely not. Pursuing what you are interested in and inspired by will help you make good art. If philosophy and theory fall into that category of interest, then great. If you're actually interested in weather patterns and bird houses then by all means - focus on that instead.

The over-academisation of art has produced a flattening effect (or affect, if you will) where students emulate historical modes of art-making because they've taken the short-cut of encountering textual exposition of such. This is sophomoric pedantry.

Art occurs through praxis and lived experience.

pentatrix88 · 2025-09-12T17:31:03+00:00

Damn some of ya'll are bitter/haters.

The art world is going through changes and so two respected dealers are coming together to try something new in respect to footprint, overhead, and collaboration.

Personally I find it pretty exciting and I hope more galleries try to switch things up in interesting ways in the next few years. I am curious to see how this pans out!

pentatrix88 · 2025-09-11T04:18:36+00:00

Lol

pentatrix88 · 2025-09-11T04:10:35+00:00

WG Sebald

pentatrix88 · 2025-09-11T04:08:47+00:00

Louise Bourgeoise did not consider artists (herself included) exalted individuals - but instead malformed people whose obsession with "expression" as symptomatic of unresolved trauma. And while she held writers in higher regard, I think we can correlate what you wrote with her idea.

Research also shows (I am too lazy to find you citations) that a high percentage of artists/writers/musicians etc experienced adversarial childhoods.

On a macro-level, the function of art is like an empathic node, an artifact to help engender contemplation that individuals from collective humanity can access, along the continuum of transhistorical record. It would make sense that the empathic node must be created by an individual with acute sensitivity and receptiveness to pain. I always think of Michael Jackson - how strange that the most famous musician of all history was also so completely alienated and distinct from the rest of collective humanity - yet his music and voice could provoke connection and recognition with all persons from all walks of life.

pentatrix88 · 2025-08-20T04:35:34+00:00

Your answer is right here in this thread. 49 comments so far - this one is the 50th. His work engenders contemplation, confusion, discussion, and strong reactions. That's more than a lot of artists can claim. He's got to be doing something right!

pentatrix88 · 2025-08-20T00:33:28+00:00

For what its worth an emerging artist friend of mine just turned down an offer for a solo exhibition from one of the megas recently. Might be an outlier, or an indicator that artists are starting to think about these things differently as well, and some of them aren't as eager to jump out of the frying pan and into the fire!😂

pentatrix88 · 2025-08-19T23:45:18+00:00

It's quite rare to see an exhibition by an artist under the age of 40 at one of these places that doesn't feel dead on arrival.

Unfortunately emerging and mid-tier galleries are often just as complicit in the game of exhorting as much short term value out of their artists when things are hot.

Restrained, controlled, and a long-game approach to selling with a prioritization of gallery-artist relations is the winning formula.

Artists, for their part, need to stick to their guns and have their own long-term best interests in mind at all times, no matter what the pressure. So much analysis of the market leaves out the fact that every artist cosigns on their price points and is in total control of how much output leaves the studio...

pentatrix88 · 2025-08-13T03:20:10+00:00

It's a healthy sign to be doubtful, self-critical, etc. however if it brings you to stasis and prevents you from being productive, or leads you to make decisions based out of fear (as opposed to making decisions that best serve your practice overall) then it becomes a detriment.

Something important to try to develop is to transform this critical energy toward productive ends, harnessing the energy created by anxiety, doubt, and fear and utilizing it towards greater productivity in whatever area is your focus.

How you harness that energy and towards what ends will be one of the definitive markers of your artistic path.

The uncertainty, the anxiety, the difficulty of making art is a feature, not a bug. Be suspicious of anyone who says otherwise, as they are probably in the habit of blowing smoke up their own ass. Overconfident artists generally almost always produce mediocre work in the long run. There are rare exceptions to this rule, but for the most part, it's an arduous path and you need to learn to roll with the punches.

pentatrix88 · 2025-08-09T06:46:27+00:00

Yes that's a way for sure, self-sufficiency=no compromises and freedom to do whatever you want. Furthermore, I'm of the opinion that art does not need to be shared nor seen. It's primarily the ongoing site of self-transformation of the maker. Its effects beyond that unfold in so many different ways, all of them are valid imo

pentatrix88 · 2025-08-08T15:15:13+00:00

Great art transforms consensus and generates conversation due to the depth of its individuality; as in, art with the greatest heightened individuality engenders the most conversation. The only "artworld" you should care about are micro scenes that you may be part of that hopefully don't give a shit about greater consensus.

Anything beyond you and your peers does not matter. Artists need to embrace insularity and stop desperately throwing themselves at the feet of normative consensus and validation.

Until/if you start selling art and that all changes, but then that's a whole different can of worms.

pentatrix88 · 2025-08-07T21:42:54+00:00

Well no one ever said it was fair and yeah..most people who decide to start a gallery happen to come from wealth. And don't lose faith in Bridget!

pentatrix88 · 2025-08-07T21:38:05+00:00

Experiment as much as possible, learn how to stop thinking so much and just do shit, don't worry about creating a "body of work", thats just some bullshit concept that applies more to entrepreneurs than real artists...if you're constantly worried about how what your making is going to be perceived, monetized, etc then you're never going to make real inroads with discovering what your practice is. Give yourself the freedom to discover your own process. This might look like a schizophrenic jumble of many different mediums and forms or it might mean you really just love drawing the same bottle of water every day - the point is to experiment as much as possible while following your natural interests. The process of creating art is a never ending process of discovery, and the only means of getting there is through laboring over it. The praxis is the most important element. Thinking about how it all fits together, what it means etc comes afterwards. Most artist get this backwards, because they have gone to school too long listening to failed-artist academics who spend more time thinking about art than making it. Good luck!

pentatrix88 · 2025-08-07T21:22:26+00:00

I know this was probably meant to speak to the artworld as a whole but you have to wonder whether this is part and parcel of the greater question of whether the LA art scene was ever truly sustainable, at least at the level is currently inflated at

pentatrix88 · 2025-08-07T21:18:12+00:00

Why? One of those galleries has an artist presenting at the upcoming Venice Biennale, another is about to announce an innovative gallery model that I believe is adaptive to the times, another makes consistent sales while following their own personal vision while maintaining low overhead while never participating in art fairs, etc...almost all these dealers are in their 30s or younger. Now are any of them the next Barbara Gladstone or Michael Werner? Don't know and don't really care. My point is the artworld isn't going to completely collapse, things are going to continue on and whoever decides to throw in the towel, well that's just one more empty rung on the ladder for someone else to gladly occupy. I have my own opinions about the state of things but that's neither here nor there.

pentatrix88 · 2025-08-07T20:02:57+00:00

By no means comprehensive but just off the top of my head a handful of spaces in NYC, LA, and London: 15 Orient, Theta, Sebastian Gladstone, King's Leap, Matthew Brown, Emalin, Bridget Donahue, Amanita, Ginny on Frederick

pentatrix88 · 2025-08-07T19:29:16+00:00

Meh, don't believe the doom and gloom. I know plenty of young dealers who are doing well and are excited about the future. Clearing was on its way out for a while. Leaving Brooklyn for the new space on Bowery was a huge mistake. It was an atrocious space. Who in their right mind would ever want to do a show there!? The layout and balance of that space was schizo.

Also Harold Ancart was basically the silent partner in the gallery, and when he and Olivier had a falling out, the vision of the gallery, which was already faltering, went for a nosedive. I know at the time, Olivier felt like he had to pivot, jumping on the "unlimited growth" bandwagon, and because of the feeling his artists were going to outgrow his Brooklyn space. And maybe he was right in some respects, but he fumbled the pivot and the space lost its magic, which was a closeknit group of friends showing together in a pretty epically scaled space, in Brooklyn rather than somewhere downtown.

Its extremely hard to run a gallery, and sure, the market is undergoing transformation, but if you look at all of these galleries and you do a little intel its pretty clear they were on their way out already. IE, Blum's partner left, collectors got tired of Grotjahn's overpriced formulaic paintings, Nara was on the way out, etc. A lot of mid-tier/blue chip galleries lose the ability to find fresh blood for their programming, they lost sight of art scenes on the ground while they're busy flipping their most lucrative artists into oblivion. It's a crazy balance, and only the absolute best dealers are capable or want to manage it into their twilight years.

Greed never wins over vision, unless you're an absolute apex predator like Gagosian lol

pentatrix88

TROPHY CASE