While art has risen out of its poor and creative image to become first popularized and commodified, to become elitist in the 21st century, luxury has been democratized. In their desperate attempt to acquire some of the old grandeur and elitist environment, affluents (I mean real affluents) try to become part of an entertainment/art industry that blurs the boundaries between art and consumption (as can be seen in collaborations between artists like Murakami and Louis Vuitton that are extremely popular), in order to get access to an environment where social filtering is still funtioning, because networks with values (whatever those might be) are still part of the system, not just money. The emerging art culture in big cities like New York is both crotesque and a clear picture of pos-postmodern times.
Artists lose part of their identity and at the same time, for the first time, attain a wider grasp of reality, of commerce, that means of contemporary culture, than they did past in those times where the best they could do is to isolate themselves in clubs, drugs and illusions of grandeur. In arts, isolation is a gift, but so is staying close to the source. The source in this case is the money, the vibrant economy, the fashion houses, the celebrities that we despise and adore. Stay close, take the money, learn to see the abstract aspect of reality and become part of it. Form it. Isolate yourself by the quality of your thoughts, the pureness of your hearts and by scorn and contempt (and here we go with Nietzsche again, to show that many seeds of postmodern thinking lie in the antichrist). Its not like the romantic philister upon his tree, looking down in isolation and grief. Its closer to the core of society, and still so far apart.
Consider this "message" from Takashi Murakami, who became so famous for his collaboration with Louis Vuitton (kaikaikiki ltd. online):
Art is the supreme incarnation of luxury entertainment. When creating works, I am extremely attentive to all aspects of the process; not letting a single detail slip by in my quest to imbue works with a true soul. In the management of our artists, we maintain policies and standards for their dealings in the art world, while also keeping flexible and considering projects case-by-case; all with the careers of our artists in mind. While it is an idealistic vision, this insistence on the highest standards of quality and communication is a driving force in my work.
Kaikai Kiki also works to nurture and raise the next generation of artists. While pushing them to their limits to create the finest works possible, Kaikai Kiki operates through its networks to ensure the finest opportunities and best provisions be made available so that these young artists have the tools to survive in today’s art world. Our artists show their work in highly regarded exhibitions worldwide, are included in prestigious collections, and appear in newsworthy art events on a regular basis. I work with our artists to gradually expand the scale of their work, and explore new technologies and fields of expression.
