What Makes An Artist Successful?
When I started out in the art world, artists all subscribed to the same mantra: “Success as an artist is about the artwork, nothing more, nothing less. It is impossible to quantify." Today, fifteen years later, I can honestly say that the success of an artist is not based on the quality of the art. Success as an artist is based on the network you are in. This bold and, for some, provocative statement is backed up by years of research, and by a study involving 500,000 artists that I co-authored with Harvard professors and that was published in the world leading academic journal, Science Magazine.
What we discovered was that, by plotting the career effect of a powerful network of art institutions, we had created a highly informative and data rich map. At its simplest, the map charts how art moves around the world and how institutions are linked by the artists they exhibit.
The map shows that there is only one route to success. If an artist is not part of a small network of galleries and museums (which I call “ Holy Land”) then they are stuck in an island network, with all its limitations. There, the probability is low that they will ever cross the bridge to the Holy Land and become a big name in the art world. The majority of artists who start in an island network institution never surpass this level, whereas artists who begin exhibiting in Holy Land institutions tend to stay at the top. Watch this video where I explain the study:
When I presented this study to my artist friends, they all asked me the same question: how do I enter the Holy Land? How do you succeed when quality is subjective, and when the market is indisputably unfair and undemocratic?
My online class includes key implications from this research for artists. You can rely on personal advice from your art teachers or you can rely on data. I believe in both: This data study forms the basis of my online class. And in interviews with leading artists, collectors and market experts they share their personal experiences. For example, in this interview with leading curator Hans Ulrich Obrist he explains how he selects artists for the shows he is curating. Or superstar artist Marilyn Minter explains how she is building her career.
So many people in the art world use the terms “good art” and “bad art”. I suggest we reject these terms. Everything can be good or bad art. It’s all about the positioning. I believe your art can be in the Museum Of Modern Art and in the Guggenheim. It’s never about what you create but it’s about how you market it. That’s what my class is all about: To help you market your work in the most effective way. You can sign up via the link below and improve your career immediately.
Best, Magnus
P.s. My online class helps artists to sell more artworks. It’s based on my teaching at Ivy League Universities and 20 years of experience in the art market. And the best art market experts contributed to the class. The class has helped thousands of artists around the world, in every medium and age group. Find out more and sign up to my free masterclass by clickling on the link below.
