In the visual art equivalent of the much-blogged-about Joshua Bell in the subway experiment, a Belgian arts channel placed an influential contemporary painter out of context to see who would take note. How many stopped to watch Luc Tuymans painting? About four percent.
It’s a bit of a rigged experiment in both cases, as commuters and street-wanderers often have something else on their minds. But it underscores the importance of context, place, and focus to so much artistic work. It also makes me wonder what would happen if both Bell and Tuymans had some training from an accomplished busker (which, perhaps, is a good way of describing the arts administrator’s role in the system).
Andrew,
I’m curious to know how you, personally, view busking? Viable money-making tool or demeaning artistic expression? Have you ever discussed it in the classroom with your students?
I definitely acknowledge busking as a great marketing tool. I’ve seen street musicians here in New York get noticed in the subways and the streets. This can lead to free recording sessions in professional studios, record deals (sometimes with major labels), or, perhaps, just great conversations with other appreciators of music and the arts. I think there is something to be said for “hitting the streets” and reaching out to a new audience (some of whom may be in dire need of a good song after a long day at the office)! In addition, spontanaety in a performance can, many times, reveal true musicianship and talent.
However, as a musician myself, I’ve never been able bring myself to busking. I believe it has something to do with sitting on the ground and having your audience look down at you. Its a difference in perspective. I feel a performance should, at best, be an event which delivers the arts in a beautiful way (ideally, on stage). In exchange, the audience receives an original experience and a physical ticket (or brochure), in hand, to note the event. At the least, one would hope for a fair and equal artful-exchange. It always breaks my heart to see a musician passsing around a tip jar after his or her performance at an open mic at a local cafe. Should a musician be ashamed to take the change that is left in peoples pockets at the end of the day?
I don’t mean to steer away from the above example by music examples. I, simply, wanted to offer some perspective and pose a few questions. I’m all for musicans finding new and unique ways to express their craft, and I believe some musicians do make money by simply busking consistently (day after day). At this point, I just see a few drawbacks.
Is this where a manager might step in? Can busking be alterred or presented differently in order to make it more viable? As a musician myself, I acknowledge I may be a bit bias on this subject. I’d love to know what others might think.
Curious,
Eric McMiller
– arts appreciator –