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05/30/2005: "Exposure - a never ending visit to the dentist..." by Asbjorn Lonvig

You are an artist.
You want your works to be seen by everybody.
Every artist has his or her own unique style and we want to let people know about this.
At the same time you want to stay anonymous.
You want to have peace in your mind.
You love to do your work in quietness.
This is the artist's dilemma.
You need exposure but you hate it.
You need to earn a living but you disgust the exposure of yourself.
But.
If you want to be in contact with "the real world" you must give up some of your
needs for living and working anonymously, in peace and in quietness.

If you do this in the wrong way.
If you do this in the wrong way, however, if you expose yourself and not your work
you end up as a "4th of July speaker" (in Danish it is called a "grundlovstaler"),
one that lectures for free,
one that newspapers ask for an opinion on anything,
one that is asked for free pictures to associations,
one that supports any charity organization,
one that is constantly asked for sponsorships.
You end up as a celebrity, a fool, a clown (see my self portrait "crying clown" to the right).
You end up as a slave.
Your image becomes a yoke of bondage.


Artist's dilemma.
I feel this artist's dilemma right now.
I feel this never ending visit to the dentist *.
I have to be in contact with "the real world" in order to expose my works.
Not myself.
And I want to get in touch with the society around me.
I have to give up some of my needs for living and working anonymously, in peace and in quietness.

So, no fancy excuses.
I have to advertise.
And be aware of what I do - and why I do it...



Ad in Danish

I want to address all Danes.
There are 5.5 million inhabitants in Denmark.
The Internet can help me along.
But the Internet does not address all Danes.
The strongest media in this sense is the newspaper.
I have to advertise in newspapers.
Next Saturday I publish the ad, that you see to the left in newspapers covering the whole country.

I create the ad as if it was an ordinary newspaper ad.
My goal however is to tell people what is on my web sites
www.lonvig.dk - art, design etc. and www.lonvig.org - writings, lectures etc.

The reader of the ad has to feel that he has the option to look at the internet.
Not an obligation.
A lot of newspaper readers would decline to look at the internet, if it is not optional.

The ad is in one color and one column to keep it simple.































Ad in English

If this way of web site exposure succeeds in Denmark, I'll simply
use the method in areas where I have an exhibition.
The New York Times might be a good start?
1.700.000 on Sundays.
The price?
Several thousand dollars - careful consideration is needed.
In 2 weeks my works are featured at Manhattan Arts International, New York.

In near future I am opening exhibitions in Buenos Aires and Quebec.
If I pass the review tomorrow I'll open an exhibition in Rome, Italy, too.
There are a lot of possibilities!

And.
If I don't succeed?
If the web sites are not exposed this way?

I'll take a deep breath.
A pipe of tobacco.
A cup of coffee.

And then I have to try again.


*) Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretian on the Quebec problem.

Replies: 7 Comments

on Wednesday, June 8th, Lorenzo said

I once advertised as a producer of created products and created products as representative of more created products to come. Now I create, variously, and either give it away or keep it. Creation takes all the energy I have. It is my self-promotion, if only for myself.

on Saturday, June 4th, Caribbean Artist said

The artist's dilemma that you mention, is one that most all artists can relate to I'm sure.

I have learned over the years that the need for exposure that you mentioned is absolutely true and is the life blood of all successful artists.

There are no free rides in life. We must make compromises to achieve the things we desire.

Gilly Gobinet

on Monday, May 30th, Frank...let's be said

"Jack of all trades and master of none."

Advertising is great. You need work on the ad. This ad makes me think you will also fix the plumbing as well as your multiple art enterprises. Target markeing is always more beneficial. Advertise for one or a few things at a time. Too many catagories makes you look like a Jack of all trades!

I also question using your face as your business icon/logo. As a designer, wouldn't showing your design skills be much better? In the US, real estate agents use their face in advertising. They do this because they really don't have a product. They are middle persons, brokers of others people's property. You have your own products and services, why look like a broker?

Advertising is an important business tool. Bad advertising is a waste of money!

on Monday, May 30th, Ellen Fisch said

Art is a form of communication. It is aso a way to express what the artist sees and feels. If an artist wishes only peace and quiet, why not produce empty canvases? Even if the artist is communicating with a leaf, a drop of rain, a grain of sand, the joy or sorrow / success or failure / and all other emmotions can be shared with others to give the artist affirmation for all the efforts that are required to produce art. Asbjorn, you need no affirmation, but your sharing of your wonderful art gives so much pleasure that it would be sad for you to work in peace and quiet. I think that your art should resound throughout Denmark and the world to brighten lives!Love the ad!!

on Monday, May 30th, Clint said

I guess it depends if an artist wants to be just a home artist and be happy there or if an artist wants to get paid for his/her art. If one wants to get paid, then one must accept all the pluses and minuses that come with art as a business. Otherwise, one can keep his/her art at home for self enjoyment. At least artists have choice on which way to go on this.

Clint

on Monday, May 30th, Andrew said

Failure comes first to those who don't try, and then to those who give up. As long as you're still doing something, you haven't yet failed.
Bravo!

on Monday, May 30th, Paul said

Good one Asbjorn,Ive also thought of doing this,and seeing you are doing it pushes me along,although its often tiresome having to be ones own marketing manager,and expensive,ads,promos,websites,show fees,even getting a show in a gallery involves lots of extra mural efforts,no wonder artists take to drink,then finding one needs it just to face the inanities one often finds in the world of art.I think the best thing is to have ones own gallery or small museum.