For All, By All

The art world is a fantasy where anything ought to be able to happen; however, like the real world, the sanctioned off strata are strong and plentiful. In both cases, this is mainly dictated by local and global economies. Yet, there is another key similarity: Most people feel disenfranchised and disillusioned.

In the West, millions of us go into debt for impractical degrees, and many of the more practical options are starting to seem like gambles anyways. If we're lucky, we can buy a house and pay off our mortgage before we die. If we're realistic, we can eat food that isn't fully processed, walk in shoes that don't have holes in them, and sleep in beds bigger than the overpriced ones we might have been duped into sleeping in during our freshman years away at college. And then, if we're blessed to have an ounce of self-awareness and decency, we realize how fortunate most of us actually are, at least in a worldwide context.

Art doesn't always have to be commodified; it isn't in many cases. Art can be a means of survival for some. Art is made for and by the people. Art is not just a painting at an international art fair pit stop, a sculpture in the manicured lawn of a museum, or a film at a renovated boutique theater. Art is an opportunity for all people, not just the insular communities comprising metropolitan scenes, to be reminded why we all put our shoes on one at a time, holes or no holes. Let's collectively consider how we can utilize art's offerings and opportunities for circumstances and communities more effectively.