When it comes to calligraphy and painting, people will first think of it as an elegant art. From creation to appreciation to collection, it can all be related to elegance.
However, in the minds of most people, elegant things should be held high, and only by existing in temples can the elegant nature be demonstrated. If it exists in the market and is sold at a stall like fruits and vegetables, it will definitely lower its value.
The reason why calligraphy and painting are elegant is that it contains cultural value, aesthetic value, academic value and collection value. It has always been a beauty for the rich and leisure class. Ordinary people can only look at it from a distance but not see it. What a shame.”
In practice, is a painting or calligraphy valuable? It depends on what kind of person is handling it.
In ancient times, people who were good at calligraphy and painting, could appreciate calligraphy and painting, and knew how to appreciate calligraphy and painting were without exception literati. Literati often presented calligraphy and paintings to each other. In the literati circle, calligraphy and painting mainly played the role of promoting feelings, exchanging ideas, demonstrating identity, and preserving wealth.
In modern times, the calligraphy and painting trading market has been very complete, and calligraphy and painting works can enter the art market for circulation like commodities. As a result, many professional calligraphers and painters have been born who make a living by creating and selling calligraphy and painting. .
There are also three levels of professional calligraphers and painters. The top calligraphers and painters can spend millions or even tens of millions per calligraphy and painting. Their customers are mainly powerful entrepreneurs, large consortiums, or It's other celebrities. Only these institutions or individuals can afford such high-end calligraphy and painting.
A calligraphy and painting by a middle-level calligrapher or painter costs tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands, and the consumers they face are mainly the middle class. The middle class plays calligraphy and painting, either for arty style or to preserve and increase value.
Most of the calligraphy and paintings of lower-level calligraphers and painters are less than 1,000 yuan, and their consumer groups are mainly ordinary people. After ordinary people decorate their houses, in order to beautify the environment of the house and add artistic flavor, they will buy some high-quality and cheap calligraphy and paintings, frame them and hang them up.
Because the lower-class calligraphers and painters have no titles, positions, connections, or relationships, and there are no galleries, auction houses, or other art institutions to package and promote them, a considerable number of lower-class calligraphers and painters will work in the field in order to support their families. Stalls selling calligraphy and paintings are set up on streets with a large flow of people.
So, as calligraphy and painting are elegant arts, would it be shameful for calligraphers and painters to set up stalls to sell calligraphy and paintings? Will it desecrate the elegance of the art of calligraphy and painting?
In my opinion, setting up a stall to sell calligraphy and painting is not shameful, nor does it desecrate the elegance of calligraphy and painting art. Setting up a stall to sell calligraphy and painting is just a way of selling calligraphy and painting. It is no different from gallery sales and auction house sales.
Although the calligraphy and paintings sold in auction houses and galleries are all made by famous artists and the prices are tough, many famous artists also had the experience of setting up stalls to sell calligraphy and paintings before becoming famous and starting a family.
Qi Baishi, the master of traditional Chinese painting, first arrived in Beijing at the age of 57. He could be described as impoverished. Apart from being able to write, draw, and engrave, he had no other skills. In order to support his family, he only I can come to Liulichang and set up a stall to sell calligraphy and paintings. For a period of time, he could not sell even one calligraphy and painting. Fortunately, he could engrave seals and relied on engraving seals for calligraphers and painters in the capital to get through a difficult period of time.
Huang Binhong, a master of Chinese painting at the same time as Qi Baishi, was even more unfortunate. His painting style was not understood by people at the time and could not be sold at all. In the most difficult days, he could only rely on copying books for others. , or rely on the help of friends to survive.
No one thought that it was this kind of life experience that made Qi Baishi and Huang Binhong into strong-willed, open-minded, passionate, diligent and studious people, and developed an infinite love for life and art. , in the end, their art was sublimated and they became a generation of great masters.
As a low-level calligrapher and painter, I want to be famous but not well-known, and I want influence but not influence. I think there is no need to think of yourself as arrogant. You must know how to put down your dignity and adhere to the principle of "everything you pick up in the basket is vegetables". The right way is to find ways to promote and sell your own calligraphy and painting.
Setting up stalls is a very suitable promotion method for low-level calligraphers and painters. Doing so has two main benefits.
First, it can open up sales channels and transform the fruits of one's labor into real economic value. If small profits are made but quick turnover is achieved, the income will be considerable over time.
To give an example, there are many calligraphers and painters setting up stalls at the Academy Gate in Xi'an. Most of them are provincial members. A four-foot calligraphy painting is priced at 30-100 yuan, and a fan with sketches on it is priced at 30-100 yuan. 50 yuan, and a four-foot Chinese painting is priced at 100-300 yuan. Although the price is not high, there is a trading volume every day. Sometimes dozens of pieces can be sold in a day, and the income is considerable.
The second is that it can increase one’s fame and influence.
Just imagine, in a big city with a population of 10 million, if 10,000 people collect your calligraphy and paintings, then you must be a big celebrity in the city, and the economic benefits you will receive are also very considerable.
In many cases, bread is more important than face. To put it bluntly, don't take it for granted that the value of your calligraphy and paintings is very high. If collectors can't pay a big price, they will never sell them at low prices. That's just your own one-sided words. How much real gold and silver a calligraphy and painting can fetch you in the end is an important criterion for testing its value. No matter how well touted a calligraphy and painting is, no matter how high the price is, if no one takes over, its value is just a piece of waste paper. The ideal is so harsh, but what exists is reasonable.
When calligraphers and painters set up stalls, they can also come into contact with all kinds of people, and can better understand society and understand the aesthetic needs of the masses. This is of great benefit to one's creation. How can I say it is embarrassing? ?