MyÜberLife

’A Drum Amongst...

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 00:36:00 -0400

’A Drum Amongst Drums’

Music as it is known, is a form of expression and a medium to communicate certain messages; sometimes those messages may be an ancient tribal connection to a [drum] beat? For many, music has another crucial role; music is a cultural device that helps identify and define an era. When embarking in anthropological or archaeological retrospective analysis, music can be used to help understand a people and their lifestyle of a specific era.

Recently, a fellow ‘culture vulture’ friend of mine, Richie Cruz, pointed out to me a new musical movement. Like many times in the past, Richie, our friends and myself have respectively pointed out, discussed, analyzed, debated some of the aforementioned musical definitions as well as enjoyed many of these musical genres. We as a group have seen many music movements, come, evolve, go away or stay. One recent addition to the critical lens was brought to my attention via Richie: A movement known as ‘Moombahton.’

Moombahton is a fusion genre of house music and reggaeton that was created by American DJ and producer Dave Nada (born David Villeagas) in Washington, D.C., in the fall of 2010.^[Musically, moombahton is essentially Dutch house or electro house at the tempo of reggaeton (usually 108- 112 beats per minute) with reggaeton influenced drum and percussion elements. Other features include “thick basslines, dramatic buildups, a two-step pulse, and quick drum fills.”

Dave Nada agreed to play a “school-skipping party” for his younger cousin in the fall of 2009. When he arrived he realized the attendees were dancing to reggaeton and bachata, while he was planning on playing house and club music. He solved this predicament by slowing down the Afrojack remix of the Silvio Ecomo & DJ Chuckie song “Moombah” from 128BPM to 108BPM. The name of the fusion genre itself became the portmanteau of “moombah” and “reggaeton.”

The song above highlights the Afrojack remix of the Silvio Ecomo & DJ Chuckie song “Moombah” slowed down to 108BPM. Give it a listen!

Please enjoy and feel free to share your thoughts. Posted by Jey Van-Sharp of MyUberLife

The image shown above depicts a value system one might choose to...

Sat, 19 May 2012 15:10:00 -0400

The image shown above depicts a value system one might choose to encompass in their everyday life as well as in business. Often people get caught up in the praise and accolades they receive from a project, rather than the actual task at hand, which is to guide the project to successful completion.

These words are powerful and capture the essence of doing a good job for the sake of doing just that, a “good job,” without indulging in ulterior motives that may overshadow one’s true intentions.

It is a reminder of the core reasons / values we should embody on our daily journey called life.

Posted by Winston Peters of MyUberLife

"If what you are selling is energy, charisma, and enthusiasm, there is no competition because most..."

Wed, 16 May 2012 15:54:00 -0400

“If what you are selling is energy, charisma, and enthusiasm, there is no competition because most others are selling things that are lifeless, loveless, and dull.”

- Mr. Stuart Wilde shares with us some tips on how to successfully sell products and services. People purchase products they love and people tell their friends about the product they love [marketing love]. If we create the right atmospheres around our respective product and services, and if we infuse the right spirit around the selling of said products and services, we can offer emotional fulfillment to our customer [branding love]. A satisfied customer is a returning customer. Posted by Jey Van-Sharp of MyUberLife

From Creative Employee to Creative Entrepreneur | Questions to Consider Before Starting Your Business

Thu, 10 May 2012 20:46:00 -0400

Everyday people ponder the notion of being their own boss, especially if they’re in a creative field where their talents are being grossly underutilized. It’s clear that having the creative freedom to pursue your passion and reap the financial rewards of your success is the most ideal scenario; however, the greater question is how to make that coveted ‘leap’ from employee to entrepreneur?

Making the decision to leave your everyday “9-5” in pursuit of your passion is somewhat of a task within itself. Not to mention, taking the necessary steps to essentially prepare yourself for the arduous journey that typically lies ahead. The thought of leaving the comfort of a steady paycheck for the more unsettling realm of financial instability, all while the looming uncertainty of realizing your vision hovers over your head can be too frightening for most to endure. But for some, the risk is worth it; as the famous George Burns quote says, “I’d rather be a failure at something I love than a success at something I hate.”

Making the move from “employee to entrepreneur” requires drive, sacrifice, and both strategic thinking and planning. You can speak to almost any entrepreneur or small business owner about their first experiences jump-starting their own business ventures, and without fail, all would most likely tell you things that they would have done differently to avoid some costly pitfalls. There are many variables to consider when starting a company. Driven by an emotional inkling, many people often rush into starting a business without fully vetting out all of their objectives and constraints. And while early on, the emotional urge to be an entrepreneur can be useful to help you take that firm stance on leaving your “9-to-5”; when it comes time to make the final transition, that same emotion could impair your ability to thoroughly plan your newfound professional path.

Writer and Forbes contributor, Sunday Steinkirchner, put together four strategic questions one should ask themselves before making the great entrepreneurial “leap.” If you are a budding entrepreneur, these questions could mean the difference between success and failure in your first business venture. See below for the details of the list.

1. Do I have the foundation I need to start right now?

The best time to prepare for launching your own business is while you’re still working another job. With steady income as your safety net, you can experiment and take risks with various business opportunities before going solo. Use this time to build on your experience and establish a customer base. This is also the time to save money. You’ll need enough for business start-up, but don’t forget what you’ll need for the ongoing cost of running your business. New businesses need time to become established, and yours will not be able to grow if your new income is paying for your day-to-day expenses. By the time we quit our day jobs, we had been running our book business on the side for four years. Our financial safety net was enough to cover our running costs and living expenses for one year, plus extra so we could continue to buy inventory.

Note: This is also a good time to think about other expenses you’ll be taking on (health insurance, retirement savings, office rent and materials, etc.). The former are often the easiest expenses to overlook, especially when your employer has been providing them up until the point of your departure.

2. How do I handle the unknown?

When someone asks us for advice on starting a business, we tell them our horror stories: low sales months, deadbeat clients, the economic crash of 2008. This works as a litmus test of sorts, to test their readiness for dealing with challenges. The best business owners rely on their creativity and determination to get themselves through tough times. Do mistakes halt your progress, or do you treat every failure as a learning experience? We pressed our friends and colleagues for their horror stories first. Ask yourself (or other business owners) “What’s the worst thing that can happen?” and “What’s the strangest thing that can happen?” When something goes wrong in your new business, there won’t be a superior to help you out. Write your own policies and solidify your business practices before these situations arise. Thinking about worst case scenarios can ready you for unsettling situations, and you’ll be less afraid of the unknown.

3. How will I fill my day?

One of the perks of business ownership is that you can manage your own schedule, but it could take some time before you’re used to this. Give yourself some structure before you fall head first into a time warp. Good business owners are naturally independent and self-starting. Do you have the training and expertise to be a good leader and a competent manager? I find that if too much freedom is getting the better of me, giving myself more structured hours increases my productivity. Treating my home office like a real office (and getting out of my pajamas) helps, too.

4. If all else fails, what’s my exit strategy?

This is not to get you discouraged before you even begin, but another part of preparing and planning ahead. Even solid business models can struggle, so consider ways of reducing your expenses to get yourself through lean times. If you can’t trim expenses, save for a larger safety net before you start (see Question #1). When you leave your job, make sure not to burn your bridges. Keep in touch with your old employer, especially for the first few months. If all failed for us, we planned to return to our old trades, and possibly move out of NYC for a while to reduce our living expenses. Thinking about our Plan B motivated us to work even harder so we could avoid resorting to it.

Running your own business takes much more than having passion and the belief that you will fill a need in the marketplace. Instead of taking a shot in the dark, plan your moves carefully to reduce your risk of failing.

posted by Winston Peters of MyUberLife

A Look Into Frieze

Sun, 06 May 2012 22:49:50 -0400

As we are re-introduced to another season of spring, a familiar roster of art fairs has made New York City its temporary home. Big names such as Pulse and NADA, as well as the smaller, but still relevant, satellite fairs such as Seven, Red Dot, and Verge have set up shop in the big apple this year. However, there is no doubt that one of the main attractions in New York’s onslaught of new fairs, in its first year in the big apple, is The Frieze Art Fair on Randalls Island, which is found in between the boroughs of Queens and Manhattan from the 4th to 7th of this month.

Since its inception in October 2003 in London’s Regent’s Park, Frieze, an international contemporary art fair, has been co-directed and staged by co-founders Amanda Sharp and Matthew Slotover. The duo, according to Charlotte Higgins of The Guardian, “gathered blue - chip contemporary art galleries from across the world to sell works to international art collectors. It became the the focus of the most important season in the British art world coined ‘Frieze week’ - in which the years most important art openings occur in dizzying succession.” Sponsored by Deutsche Bank, Frieze features 170 contemporary art galleries; a full and diverse spectrum of both newcomers and veterans in the art market. In fact, Frieze introduced Frame and Focus, a new system of organization within the fair that divided certain galleries by the time in which they were opened. Galleries that are included in the Frame section are those that were established less than six years ago, and galleries that are included in the Focus section are those that were opened in or after 2001 showing a presentation of up to three gallery artists. Frieze is also featuring talk programs, artist led education panels, and specially commissioned artists’ projects for the 60,000 plus visitors that are expected to attend.

Yet, even with the competition of the other big name art fairs, and the so called status of “new kid on the block” in the American market, I believe Frieze is still in a prime position to be the front-runner of the NY art fairs this year. Having attended Frieze, the following strategic positions they hold in the NY market stand out - destination /location, weather, and interaction.

Destination / Location - Unlike most other New York art fairs, Frieze is housed in a bespoke temporary structure similar in concept to its London counterpart. Another advantage point is having the appeal of being a “destination” location; the feel that you are escaping from the norms of the city because Randalls Island isn’t a frequent destination point to most, except for the occasional concert or sporting event.

Weather - The difference of a little over a month between the Armory Art Show and Frieze Art Fair has meant the difference of a brisk winter versus the onset of a warm spring. That subtle difference means the urge to be outdoors and more active.

It is almost a chain effect - warmer weather leads to an increase in tourism. The increased traffic could lead to more visitors at the fair which will increase word-of-mouth buzz and might even lead to a greater amount of revenue for the galleries in terms of art sales from a higher prospective of potential buyers (of course this is somewhat of a stretch), and the fair itself, in terms of tickets sold.

Interaction - With Frieze’s focus on contemporary art and living artists, one of their main initiatives is Frieze Projects’ Program. The fair presents a curated program of talks, artists’ commissions and film projects, many of which are interactive or performative, and encourage visitors to engage with art and artists directly; thus, differing from other art fairs where interactive programs are minimal.

In addition to the above points, Frieze also has some of the most prominent galleries in the world including Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, and David Zwirner just to name a few. And the overall layout of the fair seemed less condensed and more filtered than its satellite contemporaries.

However this is not to say Frieze was the perfect fair. Although unlikely, weak promotion and signage around the curated artist programs may have left a less than savory taste in the mouths of some fair-goers.

But even with that said, I still believe the aforementioned points, while we don’t know how significant, overall, have played some kind of role in the prominence of Frieze in the New York market. In a recent article posted by Artinfo, one may get a glimpse at the impact Frieze had on the market even before its fair doors actually opened: “fairs like Pulse and Red Dot, historically Armory Show satellites, have moved their dates to May to coincide with Frieze and new fairs like SEVEN and NADA spring up around the British export.”

While the true impact of Frieze New York still remains to be seen, one thing is for certain: there is great art to see and ample amounts of people to see it.

posted by Winston Peters of MyUberLife

The image found above is from an exhibition for Les Rencontres...

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 20:23:00 -0400

The image found above is from an exhibition for Les Rencontres Arles Photographie. This collection of words perfectly encapsulates the creative spirit of the digital revolution - it serves as a consummate reminder of the seamless integration of technology into the process of manifesting our creative inclinations.

Indeed, this digital revolution has turned what used to feel like work, into what now feels like never-ending play :-)

posted by Kwasi Gyasi of MyUberLife

Time Management | Time is More Valuable Than Money

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:37:17 -0400

When starting a project or even just starting your day; having a clearly defined objective/agenda/scope of tasks to be completed is always important in order to effectively manage your time and be successful no matter what industry you are involved in. The ability to know, ahead of time, what your daily, weekly, or even monthly goals are will enable you to strategically plan ahead, as well as note possible variables and pitfalls that could potentially arise and subsequently be mitigated.

When one “Shoots from the hip” or “does it on the fly” they might get the job done, but at what cost? Are they being as productive or streamlined as they could possibly be? Time is a valuable asset; the proper management of that time within any industry could mean the difference between success and failure.

American entrepreneur, author, and motivational speaker, Jim Rohn, said “Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.”

As an aid for being better prepared and productive, “The Time Management Ninja” put together 10 questions one should ask themselves and incorporate into their daily regime. See below for the list.

What Am I Going to Do Today? – Have you planned your day? Do you know where you are headed before you leave the house? Take a few minutes to review your calendar and appointments. Knowing where you are going (and when) prevents lots of crises down the road.
What Do I Need to Do Today? – Are you doing whatever task comes your way first? Or do you have a view of your prioritized tasks, so that you can do what is most important? Review your todo list before jumping into your work.
Am I Ready For My Day? – Knowing what you need to do is good, being prepared for is even better. Make sure you have done your homework. A few minutes of preparation before that meeting or task can make all the difference.
What Are My Long Term Goals? – Do you have long-term goals? Are they written down? If you don’t, then you are simply going where life is taking you. Instead, make a choice and make your own path.
What Am I Not Going to Get Done? – There is something that you need to do today that will not get done. You will forget or you will not have the time. Take a moment to identify that important task, no matter how small it is. It could be to make a doctor appointment, or to pick something up on the way home. Make the time to do it.
What Did I Promise Someone Else I Would Do Today? – We often tell others we are going to do something. And then we don’t. Or we forget. Do you make promises that you don’t keep? What do you need to do today for someone?
What Will I Do To Take Care of Myself Today? – You can’t always run at 100%. You have to take care of yourself. Make sure you spend some time on yourself, whether it is to exercise or simply make a few minutes for your hobby.
Who Do I Need to Spend Some Time With Today? – Too often, we get so wrapped up in our tasks or our busy schedules, that we overlook the people that we need to give attention to. Is it a team member that needs help? Or a family member that needs some one-on-one time?
What Did I Do Today? – At the end of the day, take a moment to review what you accomplished. Keeping a journal is a great way to do this. It just feels good and it lets you review your progress. It also provides a great life document for yourself or others to read someday.
Am I Happy With What I Did Today? – After you have reviewed what your day, ask yourself, “Am I happy with that?” Are you doing what you want to do in life? Sometimes we are so busy going through the motions, that we don’t realize that we have a choice. It’s up to you what you do with your life each day. Choose wisely.

posted by Winston Peters of MyUberLife

Spellbound by Nimue...

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 00:07:08 -0400

Spellbound by Nimue Smit

“In my mind’s eye, I visualize how a particular… sight and feeling will appear on a print. If it excites me, there is a good chance it will make a good photograph. It is an intuitive sense, an ability that comes from a lot of practice.”-Ansel Adams

“A great photograph is one that fully expresses what one feels, in the deepest sense, about what is being photographed.”-Ansel Adams

“Myths and creeds are heroic struggles to comprehend the truth in the world.”-Ansel Adams

This evening, going through my ‘digital tears,’ looking for form, function, context, and concept while displaying my interest in pinterest, I came across Spellbound by Niume Smith. This editorial stuck out to me due to its seemingly untimely dark subject matter. SpellBound explored a dark magical theme in contrast to the typically pastel riddled season. For the April issue of Numéro China, lensed by Txema Yeste and styled by fashion editor Tim Lim, the creative team choose to go with ‘less pop and more dark’ themes to present the designs of Miu Miu, Yohji Yamamoto, and Haider Ackermann amongst others. This conceptual editorial, with its culturally cliched dark thematic themes, rubbed me the right way. These photos reminded me of the quotes above on why photographers, stylists, makeup artists, and models are special; they are masters of creating sight and feeling through image.

Please enjoy these images, and feel free to share your thoughts. Posted By Jey Van-Sharp of MyUberlife

"Ideas are like fish. If you want to catch little fish, you can stay in the shallow water. But if you..."

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 22:45:46 -0400

“Ideas are like fish. If you want to catch little fish, you can stay in the shallow water. But if you want to catch the big fish, you’ve got to go deeper. Down deep, the fish are more powerful and more pure.They’re huge and abstract. And they’re very beautiful.” ”

- David Lynch, An American filmmaker and visual artist, advising us on how to Catch the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity. Posted by Jey Van-Sharp of MyUberLife.

"My philosophy is that when you incorporate giving into your business model – so it’s not just..."

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 09:27:00 -0400

“My philosophy is that when you incorporate giving into your business model – so it’s not just a marketing gimmick but is actually deeply in the roots of the business – your customers are more loyal; they want to share the story; your staff have something they truly believe in.”

- Wisdom from Mr. Blake Mycoskie on the dynamics of marketing. Mr. Mycoskie is the founder of ‘Triple Bottom Line Company’ TOMS Shoes based in Santa Monica,California. The company was founded in 2006 by Blake Mycoskie, an entrepreneur from Arlington,Texas. TOMS company designs and sells lightweight shoes based on the Argentine alpargata design. The brilliance of this company is that TOMS has maintained its profitability with a ‘for profit, for people & for planet’ business model: With every product sold, TOMS will donate a pair to a person in need. TOMS is another reminder that the mechanisms of capitalism, when applied harmoniously, can be beneficial in ways beyond profit. Posted by Jey Van-Sharp of MyUberLife

Safer vs. Saltz | Two Sides of the Same Art Market Yesterday...

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 08:52:00 -0400

Safer vs. Saltz | Two Sides of the Same Art Market

Yesterday evening, 60 Minutes, the long-running news program from CBS, aired a segment from Morley Safer entitled Art Market (shown in the video above). In the broadcast, Mr. Safer attempted to unfold the inner workings of the art market using Miami’s Art Basel art fair as the back-drop to state his case. In the 13 minute segment, Safer strolls around the fair with an air of cynicism, asking rhetorical questions on the value of certain pieces of art and making comparisons between the art market and various financial markets that most of us are familiar with. Safer also speaks to a motley crew of market players ranging from collectors like Eli Broad to top gallerists and art dealers such as Jeffrey Deitch and Larry Gagosian. The entire segment seemed to aim at the conspicuous sales side of the art market, while mocking the possibility of a more altruistic take on what art means to society and humanity as a whole.

Shortly after the airing of the segment, Jerry Saltz, arguably one of the most well known voices in the art world, wrote an article entitled Jerry Saltz on Morley Safer’s Facile 60 Minutes Art-World Screed. Mr. Saltz’ take on the 60 Minutes segment was one of disdain, highlighting the fact that Mr. Safer did not venture too far from his previous 60 Minutes segment from 1993, entitled Yes…But is it Art?, which also cast a fairly negative light on the art world. According to Mr. Saltz, Mr. Safer “delivered cliche after cliche,” highlighting points that have been littered across various Internet art blogs and prominent media outlets. In Mr. Saltz’ opinion, Mr. Safer did not “really [look] at art, [he] focused on the distraction, on celebrity, cash, and crassness […] He’s now doing the same thing: Spotting the obvious […] He’s not finding his own taste.” In essence, the scope of Mr. Safer’s segment on the art market was too narrow and subjective for Mr. Saltz’ liking.

While Mr. Safer’s segment could be seen as slightly subjective and narrow, couldn’t Mr. Saltz’ piece be seen as slightly skewed too? And if so, who could really say that either gentleman is right or wrong? While Mr. Saltz does do a good job of acknowledging the speculative side of the art market as well as making nods to its altruistic core, the tone of his piece suggests that Mr. Safer’s perspective is somehow wrong or inaccurate. Yes, Mr. Safer did focus heavily on the speculative, more aggressively sales-driven side of the art market without giving the altruistic side much merit. But is that not within his right to have a specific perspective? And more importantly, can we really suggest that what he depicted was entirely wrong or inaccurate? We have seen, through countless articles and blog posts, that there is, in fact, a heavily speculative aspect to the art market. And even more than being within Mr. Safer’s right to report on this more “financially-driven” side of the art world, is it not within his self interest?

Yes, Mr. Safer’s segment was seemingly slanted; but, keep in mind, Mr. Safer’s segment appears on 60 minutes, a nationally broadcasted program on CBS network. While 60 minutes probably does have viewership that resides in the upper-income brackets of society that may include individuals who understand both the speculative and altruistic nature of the art market, it seems more likely that the majority of the 60 minutes audience is represented by the mass of america, which is largely made up of “working class” citizens who are more worried about “making ends meet” than the true intrinsic value of a Gerhard Richter painting.

60 minutes, like all programming, must meet their networks “bottom line” requirements which always comes down to viewership - a component that, when high enough, can command top advertising dollars. So yes, much of the information Mr. Safer spoke of seems “cliche” to those who are abreast of the happenings in the art market, but for the working class citizens who make up mainstream America, especially those still reeling from the effects of the financial downturn, the success of the art market could be seen as just another layer - albeit a decadent one - to the financial stories that have graced the mainstream airwaves since the 2008 bailout. In essence, Mr. Safer, in accordance with his network, was appealing to the “world view” of the majority base of his audience; hence, the reason Mr. Safer seemed to make numerous comparisons between the art market and the financial world.

That being the case, art, like any other market, is indeed speculative in nature. For the most part, if you own a computer or mobile phone in which you are able to read this post, you are most likely one of the lucky few who exist in a post-needs society where food, water, shelter, and most of the basic necessities of life are covered. Thus, everything beyond these “needs,” from a psychological or even philosophical perspective, can be perceived as wants. And if we are addressing wants, then it’s also reasonable to say that the meaning or value we place on these wants are driven by our subjective desires to fulfill some type of psychological benefit which has meaning to each of us on an individual level. There is no culling process behind these psychological “desires,” and for any market to function successfully there shouldn’t be. The articulation of desires in the form of wants drives demand and causes the value for products, services, or, in this case, art works, to fluctuate widely and differ from art collector to art collector.

On the other hand, art, unlike many other markets, acknowledges its more altruistic side too. In addition to speculative or egotistical motives, art is also bought so that it may be housed in a museum to be looked upon as an integral part of our collective human history. This type of art is enjoyed by many different types of people, not just the wealthy who wish to speculate or own it as a status symbol. And what Mr. Safer’s segment didn’t show, was these aforementioned “types of people;” the art enthusiasts who flock to Art Basel and other art fairs and openings to indulge in the aesthetic stimulation that art provides - whether those enthusiasts could actually purchase an art work or not. Indeed, Mr. Safer’s segment did not show the Basel attendees and art market players who engage in the art world purely for the love of art (art for art’s sake). How different would Mr. Safer’s segment have been if he had also shown various types of people (children included), enjoying the plethora of independent fairs or pop-up galleries that spring forth during the 4-day event? Or show the quiet walk of emotional introspection through the halls of a collector’s private collection?

In the end, Mr. Safer’s segment shed a rather cynical light on the speculative side of the art market, and Mr. Saltz facetiously admonished him for doing so while highlighting the missing, more altruistic elements. However, in my opinion, both the speculative and altruistic sides of art play an important role in the formation of the art market. For example, in his segment, Mr. Safer mentioned, with much distaste, that “art speak, the descriptive language of contemporary art, could seem as opaque as spilled alphabet soup.” A response to an enthusiastic art dealer who, in the segment, was shown to be providing an intellectualized articulation of an art work to a prospective buyer. This altruistic side of art, more than just the philosophical support for art’s existence, can be seen as the language of art commerce, one of the many reasons why I believe both sides go hand-in-hand. Whether it’s more speculative or altruistic, the proverbial “light” that you decide to shed on the art market really depends on you, the individual, and what type of value you are seeking to extract from engaging in the art world.

posted by Kwasi Gyasi of MyUberLife

"Nothing is so improving to the temper as the study of the beauties either of poetry, eloquence,..."

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:05:15 -0400

““Nothing is so improving to the temper as the study of the beauties either of poetry, eloquence, music, or painting””

- Mr. David Hume with a friendly reminder on why humanity will always be in need-of the arts. Posted by Jey Van-Sharp of MyUberLife

Partly Sunny: Art Market Predictions for 2012

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 19:16:00 -0400

Excerpts from the four-part series from Art+Auction magazine on the future of the art-market.

In an ever-changing world, we human beings are in constant search of context. We continuously look to define our reality through the acquisition of physical objects. These objects define our essence and bring our perceptions into a reality; these objects give our lives a philosophical context, a belief system, and a point of view. One of the great benefits of being human is the ability to have philosophical debates, and one of theses great debates is the context in which art should be valued. Should art be looked upon as an instrument of accumulating financial means? Or should art be distinguished from all social clutter as symbols of anthropological and cultural significance?

Many have attempted to bring clarity to this point: Bourdieu once said, ”The primary function of art is social […] The cultural practice used to distinguish classes and class fractions, to justify the domination by one another.” Schopenhauer held that art offers a way for people to temporarily escape the suffering that results from willing [living]. Tolstoy stated that, “Art is not a pleasure, a solace, or an amusement; art is great matter.”

If one thing can be ascertained in the midst of this brilliant subjectivity, it’s that this debate will outlive this [post] and the ‘right’ philosophy on how art is to be consumed, acquired, valued, viewed, positioned, and marketed, will continue to be evaluated for generations to come.

In my opinion, I agree with Henry Fuseli who stated, “Art among a religious race produces relics; among a military one, trophies; among a commercial one, articles of trade.” This sequence of logic, for me, says that the judging [evaluating] of a work of art, deciding whether said work is good or bad, is very subjective, albeit some opinions have a higher degree of validity due to the specific evaluator’s level of concern or interest in the subject matter and his or her corollary expertise. Art within its very nature is highly [subjective] speculative; affecting its worth from academia, to finances and to all facets of cultural classism.

REGARDING THE ART MARKET

By definition, a market is a regular gathering of people for the purchase, the evaluation, sale of provisions, livestock, and other commodities. If we look at the economic definition of commodity, theterm is used to define any marketable item produced to satisfy wants or needs of any sect of the populous. So for the sake of those who are in the business of satisfying needs and wants, the following information gives a great rundown on some art predictions said to come in 2012 from art.info.

Synopsis:

Macro Economic Market Outlook:

People argued vociferously about whether art should be considered an asset class or if it was meant primarily for connoisseurship and personal enjoyment. Over the past five years people have finally accepted that it can actually be both. That change in attitude has been concurrent with tremendous worldwide wealth creation over the past 15 years. As a result, more people than ever are looking to invest in tangible assets—certainly in the United States, though Asian economies and European ones have always viewed tangible assets as a store of wealth. The investment potential of art will undoubtedly continue to grow.

Taken together, these sketches from varied corners of the art world depict two coexisting planes. In the foreground, garnering the headlines, is the arena where those who buy for love and investors who buy for security converge in pursuit of the best. In the background is a larger field of players endeavoring to expand the art world outward rather than upward, by reaching new audiences in new ways.

Although this remains a time of great uncertainty, recent experience shows that economic volatility doesn’t mean the art market slows down.

The estimate is that the global art-fund industry is somewhere in the $1 billion range, with Asian funds accounting for approximately one-third of that total.

Wall Street has taken notice and there are people coming into the market on a strictly speculative basis.

An important issue when valuing art funds: How they charge their fees? Do they mark-to-market assets based on appraised value or do they hold all the assets in the fund at the cost of acquisition when assessing fees?

While it’s not an investment mentality, it’s certainly a financially prudent mentality, and that has become more the case since the market crashed in 2008. Everyone wants more information now.

The primary market is strong and it actually never suffered as much as other segments. It’s broader than it ever was, it’s got more depth than it had, and there is a wider collector base.

There are a number of people who are buying based on market dynamics, buying artists that the market favors. One should consciously buy independently of this dynamic, even though sometimes interests can overlap with what’s happening.

The international presence mean we have to work more closely with the other dealers handling our artists in foreign markets. It is crucial to understand that and take advantage of it. It is important as a gallerist to work in a global way on projects and exhibitions.

Selling art has to be about selling taste and aesthetic and ideas—that is what gallerist do, whether we are doing it in the primary or the secondary market.

The key in our business is access to the work. Once you have a great object, finding a buyer is not the most difficult part. Also you need to assure potential sellers you can get the best possible price for their property.

You will have to compete to get the best works, while still being cautious, which means being more selective than ever.

After the financial crises, at the end of 2008 and through 2009, private dealers were preferable to auctions. A lot of works came to private dealers, especially after the auction houses dropped the idea of guaranteeing them.

That lasted for 18 months or so, until Giacometti’s Walking Man sold for $100 million at Sotheby’s London in February 2010. That sent out a signal that auctions could produce very strong prices again.

With all the economic and technological changes, organizers, gallerist and museums need to come up with fresh ideas. They need to do things never done before to make sure the right people come in.

Indonesia and more developed markets like China and India is not the strength of the art market but the strength of its infrastructure—the galleries and museums.

There is one message from the market that is crystal-clear: It’s not about Impressionism or contemporary, it’s about modern and postwar. Last year we saw a celebration of the 20th century.

Sometimes at auction you’ll see competition and prices achieved that you would not achieve privately, but that’s not a reflection of an entire market. There was that Delvaux that made a huge one-off price [Paul Delvaux’s Les Cariatides, 1946, sold at Sotheby’s New York for an artist-record $9 million last May]. But this was the result of two Russian phone bidders who knew who they were up against and just decided to compete. If you don’t know that and just see the price, you think Delvaux’s overall market is doing very well, but that’s not necessarily the case.

Europe Market:

On the European side, there’s economic uncertainty, which means that unless there’s an estate or a real motivation to sell, it’s hard to get people to consign major works. They feel their money is better vested in a painting rather than in cash right now. There is less opportunistic selling than there was in 2007 and 2008. The caution is not because of the prices realized, but more about what to do with the money, so people are holding on to what they have.

Southern European governments risk stifling the art trade — or driving it underground — with onerous luxury taxes.

In Europe, 2011 was a very good year. We saw many new, younger collectors arrive, looking not only for young artists but also for established ones.

Chinese Market:

The wealth in China is growing more quickly now than in the U.S. and Russia combined. Throughout Asia, but especially in China, the number of high-net-worth individuals is continuing to grow and the amount of money available to each is also increasing. More and more of that is being invested in so-called emotional assets: artworks, but also wine, jewelry, watches, and cars.

Doing art business in China is still more difficult than it should be: You have the government regulations and the local inexperience, but also deeper and more troubling problems with the system.

China is approaching a tipping point. An increase in connoisseurship and professionalism could strengthen the art market’s shaky foundation.

Appraisals, attention to the issue of fakes, the need for reliable disclosure from auction houses—these are just a few issues that must be addressed in China.

The danger now will be if there is a shock to the Chinese economy, because so many of the markets are being driven by them at this point, at the high end as well as the mid market level.

Indian market was being driven by Westerners speculating. This is the advantage in China: They are buying back their own culture. And it is not just a fad; they will be buying that back for a long time.

China is at a crossroads, and its players will need to commit to higher standards of professionalism if its markets are to continue to grow. And more than one expert here believes there are too many fair.

Art Fairs:

Art Fairs have become a very convenient way for collectors—individuals and groups like museum trustees—to come and get an up-to-date education.

The trick of doing the art fairs as a dealer is choosing the right one. What works for you personally and for your gallery program might be different from what works for the gallery across the street; Fairs can be expensive and definitely put a strain on the system. It’s really like doubling one’s job; the gallery still functions, and artists still value the importance of a gallery show.

Fairs: The system might actually favor smaller operations, allowing some gallerists to have a relatively small space in their home city and have a very high profile on the fair circuit.

At the major fairs, the top of the line in anything is still selling because the people with money still have money. It’s easier to sell a $2 million picture than a $15,000 picture.

The model now is to bring in the right people—collectors who will buy big-ticket items—and not worry if you don’t make any money in the gate.

Many think there’s an over-saturation of fairs around the [USA] country.

Many think art fairs are making things increasingly difficult. The important argument remains that the fairs cater to busy collectors. But the [gallery] expense is crazy. Thirty-five years ago, a booth at Art Basel was SF12,000; today it’s SF120,000. How can smaller and younger galleries afford a fair like Art Basel Miami Beach?

The events that are still succeeding tend to be the association fairs. As for independent shows, major dealers have the money to participate in any fair; everybody else doesn’t. For Outsider Art Fair, I’ve had to make concessions to dealers. And the antiques business is hurting still, especially the brown-furniture end of it.

The last couple of years served as a “stress test” for the whole model of big international shows such as ArtBasel and ArtBasel Miami Beach. Because with such long lead times, the economic volatility doesn’t change what art galleries do; but it makes us focus on our tasks with greater urgency.

Major reason why galleries come to shows like ArtBasel and ArtBasel Miami Beach—to activate existing relationships with collectors and to meet new collectors. In the long run, those stronger collectors start making time to see galleries and museum shows.

As a gallery in these fairs shows, the only way to stand out is by bringing great material and presenting it to maximum impact—that forces people, even in a difficult economic moment, to make the jump.

For many a great show is not just about the sales made that week, it’s about building a market for galleries that allows them to sustain their program over time. It’s not just about those four or five days, it’s about the long-term relationships between galleries, collectors and institutions that keep their artists moving forward.

Emerging Markets:

The art world no longer has just two or three global centers. China might be the market locomotive right now, but there is interesting art in every country. Go to Vietnam, go to Cambodia—it’s like China 15 years ago. In 10 years the most interesting scene will be Burma.

Cultural development is occurring most rapidly in countries where governments have declared their interest in the cause.

Dubai has more than 64 galleries. Tehran has approximately 40. For the moment, Western dealers express their presence mainly through art fairs rather than permanent spaces.

In Dubai there is a great deal of interest in buying regional contemporary art as a means to nurture local artistic expression.

Increasingly, we’re noticing a migration of collector interest to international contemporary art as well.

Collectors, particularly those in Doha, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi, are very interested in taking a global perspective in art collecting.

The next five or ten years, we will see a lot of important collections, built especially by younger Latin Americans and North Americans.

Technology & The Art Market:

The use of digital technology as a means of access in the art world has never been more relevant. I think the next step is to use technology to support how galleries do business.

I find that the start-ups that have met with success look to complement galleries’ outreach efforts to attract new clients, rather than replace or reconfigure those relationships.

The art world has been relatively slow to embrace online means of sales and distribution, especially when it comes to prime inventory.

However, with the demographics of the art community tilting toward younger, more international collectors, the benefits of a digital approach are coming to the fore.

A tech [online] strategy has paid off particularly well in prints and multiples, which have been a great launching point for online art sales.

Last Words:

You can see areas of activity where you need to be very careful; an artist may be having a ‘moment’ that may not have anything to do with the long-term merits of the work.

Auction specialists and private dealers see room for virtually limitless sales records, as long as top-notch material remains at hand. Gallerists believe that passion is still the animating force, the bedrock for dealers and their best customers alike.

Clients are price sensitive and quality sensitive, but the higher you go, the more quality sensitive they are.

In looking forward to is growing the global web of relationships that we have been putting together—linking artists, collectors, and museums.

You’ve got to be around the corner from them in order to be part of the mix. You have to remember the whole art world is about the collector and the artist. The rest of us are arrayed around those two actors.

Posted By Jey Van-Sharp of MyUberLife

milkstudios: Kurt Vonnegut once said… Photo via Milk Studios...

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 20:18:52 -0400

milkstudios:

Kurt Vonnegut once said…

Photo via Milk Studios instagram.

An eloquent and altruistic reminder of the arts and its omnipresence in our everyday lives. And while the calling to create art is beyond money I think Kurt, especially in this day and age, would now agree that “The arts ARE ~~not~~ a way to make a living.”

;-)

posted by Kwasi Gyasi of MyUberLife

SETH GODIN ON THE BUSINESS OF...

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 21:27:00 -0500

SETH GODIN ON THE BUSINESS OF MUSIC

With arguably music and digital media’s most important festival, SXSW, nearly upon us, what better way to lead into the week of music, media, and the newest addition, fashion, than with an insightful discussion from marketing guru and modern day philosopher, Seth Godin.

In the fourteen minute long interview, Seth and Ariel Hyatt, contributor on Hypebot.com and founder of Ariel Publicity (Cyber PR), a digital PR agency focused on the music market, discuss the modern day artist, or, in this case, the musician, and their unique opportunity to capitalize on the paradigm shift in the music industry. To Seth, the new dynamics of the music industry allow for what he believes should be the ultimate goal for any musician or artist: “[To] make a dent in the universe [and] that you are trying to touch people[…]”

Below are some additional highlights from the interview:

Being Weird

Mass vs. weird - Seth begins the discussion by focusing on the benefit of catering to niche markets (filled with the “weird”) versus mass markets (supposedly filled with “normal”).
Find the inner weird - As society moves further into the 21st century, finding your inner “weird” and connecting to others who share the same inner “weird” by means of the internet has become more socially acceptable - slowly disintegrating the idea of “normal.”
Weird clusters - The Internet has allowed “weird” people to connect more easily. In other words, formerly isolated niches can easily gather together and form a tribe or community.
Make your brand of weird - As an artists you need to tap into your brand of “weird” and make things representative of said “weird” for an audience of people who can understand it. And according to Seth, that aforementioned audience usually sits outside the confines of what is considered “normal.”
Can’t please everyone - Don’t worry about disappointing the people who don’t like your brand of “weird” - which leads to the next important section…

Musician’s & Fear

Seth insists that one fear is usually greater than another, and in the case of musicians, the fear of:

being obscure
being ignored
no one every hearing you

should outweigh the fear of disappointing the people who ultimately don’t “get” your artistic offering to the world (i.e. your brand of “weird”).

And if you, the musician, still have a fear of “disappointment,” Seth recommends the following:

Don’t read reviews
Don’t let people post comments on your website

Personally, I believe constructive criticism is great for the artist and the creative process. However, I do agree that not all criticism is constructive, and, at times, opening yourself to the proverbial “flood gates” of the Internet can leave you with criticism that bares a closer resemblance to “hate.” And if you are an artist that is already sensitive to critique, reading reviews and “hate” posts on your website could potentially derail your enthusiasm and overall creativity.

Musicians & Marketing

According to Seth, “you can not be a musician, and you can not be an artist until you acknowledge one [of] the things you are trying to do is make a dent in the universe [and] that you are trying to touch people…Marketing is finding out the best way to touch people and touch them in a way that resonates well enough that they tell their friends.”

As a musician with 21st century tools at your disposal, you are capable of amplifying your story to reach more places in a shorter amount of time. Take your story and your brand of “weird” and use social media and other forms of technology to amplify your message so that it reaches all the potential followers of your brand of “weird.”

How to Monetize (Making Money)

According to Seth, the best way to make money as a musician today is to “Lead a group of fans who want you to take them somewhere and be with other fans.” In other words, provide a place where your fans can connect with, or experience, you, with the company of other fans (i.e. concerts).

Critical Points to Remember:

Find your inner artistic offering (your inner brand of “weird”)
Make things, or, in this case, music, representative of your brand of “weird”
Find and connect to people who share an appreciation for your brand of “weird”
Build a community or tribe around them
Then do business with them

Happy Watching!

posted by Kwasi Gyasi of MyUberLife

"Music is a powerful medium that can bring the emotional qualities of products to life and help..."

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 18:36:00 -0500

“Music is a powerful medium that can bring the emotional qualities of products to life and help activate a Brand promise. The true marketing potential of music is that without any other stimulus, it can access a mood, emotion, and deeply move specific demographics within a target market in just a few seconds. In addition, the heritage of music, through the artist, genre and etcetera, can reflect a culture, a time period and lifestyle without even playing a note.”

- Poignant quote forced from Sophie Doran article; writer at Luxury Society. Ms. Doran highlights the rationale why implementing music into a brand’s marketing mix is essential to gain attention, which can ultimately drive revenue.

Please click here to delve into some of Ms. Doran’s finer points on music marketing and its positive effects on business.

Posted by Jey Van-Sharp of MyUberLife

Burberry’s Branding Initiative to Embrace Digital &...

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 23:28:00 -0500

Burberry’s Branding Initiative to Embrace Digital & Millennials

The video above features an insightful discussion with current Burberry CEO, Angela Ahrendts, and Forbes correspondent, Moira Forbes, on Burberry’s cutting-edge strategy to turn the once flailing company into one of the most celebrated and successful luxury brands of today.

Since Angela’s arrival at Burberry in 2006 she has worked very closely with Christopher Bailey, Burberry’s Chief Creative Director, to harvest Burberry’s rich heritage and meet glaring opportunities in the luxury market. The harmonious union of these two luxury mavericks has lead to not only soaring profits for the British brand, but also one the most innovative and resounding branding efforts of the last decade.

Take a look at some of the more salient points from the video that give a small glimpse into how Burberry reclaimed their prominent position in the luxury market:

Burberry’s core value / unique selling proposition - 1.) Authentic British culture 2.) luxury heritage beginning with coats. Having analyzed the luxury market, Angela and Christopher identified core values in Burberry that could not be found in its competitors. These values would form the springboard to Burberry’s competitive advantage and would become the focus of both their product, and marketing and branding strategy.
Millennial opportunity in the luxury market - In addition to their heritage position, Angela and Christopher’s extensive research showed that there was a huge opportunity in targeting the millennial consumer who, at the time, were under-served and overlooked by the greater luxury community. This particular target audience gave Burberry license to focus heavily on the digital space, which, at that time, wasn’t fully embraced by the luxury and fashion markets; but, as we know, would become a vital component of every brands business strategy.
Democratization of luxury - Coming from humble beginnings, Angela and Christopher each brought a sense of democracy to the articulation of Burberry luxury - perspectives that favored inclusivity over exclusivity (to read more on the democratization of luxury click here). In addition to their existing core value / unique selling proposition, this particular brand ethos especially translated well into the digital space; a space that was, and still is, largely responsible for the burgeoning paradigm shift in luxury fashion.
Authentic celebrity brand ambassadors - As a result of Burberry’s authentic brand image, and the successful articulation of their core value / unique selling proposition to their target audience across all relevant touch-points, Burberry was able to garner the attention of several celebrity brand ambassadors, most notably, Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge. Kate represents the perfect brand ambassador for Burberry. With her royal position within the UK, she sufficiently embodies British tradition. And at 30 years of age, she fits right into the millennial grouping. But even more important, her public persona garners her a great deal of influence over much of Burberry’s target audience - influence that has already translated into a spike in sales for specific Burberry product’s that Kate has worn. While this may seem like an obvious alignment, it’s important to note that Kate was not the usual paid celebrity endorsement. Kate’s brand patronage would not have happened unless Burberry’s brand was perfectly aligned with the needs and wants Kate expected from a luxury brand. The authenticity of Kate’s support of Burberry products is the true demonstration of the success of Burberry’s brand strategy.

This video is important for all brands and ‘creatives’ because it serves as an excellent reminder and demonstration of simple strategic questions that, when answered, can have the power to drive the success of a business in any given market. The video also sheds light on important business principles like the ability for “underdogs,” as Angela states in the video, to achieve success in a market by turning what may seem like disadvantages into competitive advantages - another business success factor.

With that said, I urge all that watch the video to ask yourself these questions:

What is my core value / unique selling proposition? What can I do that no one else can do, or, at the very least, do better than me?
Who is my target audience and what can I give them that they can’t get from anyone else?
What are the opportunities in the market? What are my competitors or peers not doing that I can do?

Enjoy the video. Happy Watching!

posted by Kwasi Gyasi of MyUberLife

The Artists & Surprise Success:...

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 18:46:00 -0500

The Artists & Surprise Success:

“Behind every great idea, their is great effort, behind every great effort there are a great people.”

This past Sunday,The Artist, a silent French romantic comedy drama film directed by Michel Hazanavicius, starring Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo, took ‘home’ Best Picture, Best Director for Hazanavicius, Best Actor for Dujardin, Best Costume Design and Best Original Music Score at the 2012 Academy Awards. The theme of The Artist takes place in Hollywood, California between 1927 and 1932 and focuses on the relationship of an older silent film star and a rising young actress, as silent cinema falls out of fashion and is replaced by the talkies during that period.

The Artist is an example of a creative idea defying the odds and market conventions to achieve accolade and market success. This film has many unique factors that were potential pitfalls to its success. A few market obstacles to overcome were the film being completely made in silent format, the film being shot in 4:3 black and white, and the film having a predominantly French cast. This film’s success has obliterated the conventional obstacles and may potentially change some film industry paradigms. To analyze the solutions one must begin by solving this question: How can a silent film be discovered, marketed and be successful in a multi-media world? The answer begins with the video above which features movie mogul Harvey Weinstein who snapped up the U.S. distribution rights of The Artist before anyone at the Cannes film festival. Weinstein is accredited as the marketing mastermind behind The Artist and has gained a reputation of having tremendous market foresight. This foresight has allowed him to gain a reputation of catching “middle-brow” films right before they become popular and turn them into market frontrunners. Harvey Weinstein is behind the discovery “Pulp Fiction,” “The English Patient,” “Shakespeare in Love” and last year’s “The King’s Speech.”

Please click on the video above to gain market insight into this year’s Best Film, The Artist. Posted by Jey Van-Sharp of MyUberLife

"Some designers these days believe they have to be rock stars. I believe in the product —..."

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:34:14 -0500

“Some designers these days believe they have to be rock stars. I believe in the product — that’s what the client buys. The issue is to endure and to do everything to stay alive as a business. It’s really all about dedication to your work.”
+
“Take the time to learn the craft — and it takes time. To make it in fashion, you have to be strong, and not envious. You have to offer something unique that you can’t find from another brand.”

- The quotes above, from fashion designer Sophie Theallet, stress the importance of two critical components of a successful business:

Quality Assurance & Quality Control (QA & QC) in the Product Development Process - “I believe in the product […] Take the time to learn the craft.” Sophie’s product-focused philosophy, much like many traditional notions of luxury, places great importance on the mastery of the craft; thereby, allowing the designer to produce a superior product.

A Sound Value / Unique Selling Proposition - “You have to offer something unique that you can’t find from another brand.” Sophie knows that for your best chance at survival in a crowded market (i.e fashion) you must offer your target audience something that they need or want, but are not necessarily getting from your competitors.

Sophie’s words ring loud and clear in today’s increasingly austere society where ‘price vs. quality’ analysis is given more weight before any significant purchase.

posted by Kwasi Gyasi of MyUberLife

Rebecca Minkoff’s Family Fashion Business We recently...

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:26:27 -0500

Rebecca Minkoff’s Family Fashion Business

We recently came across this inspiring video above from Wall Street Journal depicting aspiring handbag designer Rebecca Minkoff and her brother Uri Minkoff. The video gives a glimpse into how Rebecca and her brother turned their small family-owned fashion brand into a growing fashion empire - maximizing every dollar spent along the way. Today, the up-start brand is projected to do $35 million in sales this year.

Here are some additional highlights from the video:

Rebecca Minkoff’s Brand Inspiration - Travel and vintage.
Rebecca MInkoff’s Target Audience - Female’s between the ages of 20 - 30 years of age.
Rebecca MInkoff’s Brand Promise - To provide their target audience with product that tied into, or was related, to the momentous occasions that occurred in their lives between the ages of 20 and 30.

Enjoy the video and feel free to share your thoughts. Happy watching!

posted by Kwasi Gyasi of MyUberLife