Why the web store?
My last really large solo exhibit with about 200+ works was at NDSM-fuse, and although I really loved doing that, I found it hard to attend, and to sit there watching people with smartphones in their hands copying many photographs on the wall. There was no real reason to complain. I was lucky enough that my exhibit fitted nicely in between lockdowns. Other artists were not so lucky.
Some of these smartphone owners were nice enough to tag me in their social media posts, but most wouldn’t for obvious reasons. Copyright infringement is not something you advertise.
Then again, it was nice to see so many young people looking at my works. Some of them were in shock. A nipple, or people comfortably and openly expressing their sexual identity, can do that in today’s society.
While sitting there watching the groups of tourists snapping my works with smiles on their faces, I decided it was time to put an end to my exhibits. NDSM-fuse was very generous to grant me about 600 square meters for my show ‘Uncensored’, but other art locations may easily charge me by the meter and collect a 60% take on any sales.
The 60% is not the real problem for me, since it is being added to the actual price. A simple print will cost you more than twice or triple the amount of what I am selling them for in this web shop. Of course, you can download them and print them yourself. It will result in a better copy of my photograph than you could have made with your smartphone, but photographs that are not signed and dated are quite worthless. It pretty much compares to owning a stolen laptop without a charger. So, if you really appreciate my work that much, be my guest. I simply refuse to put a lot of typography on my photography to prevent you from doing that. It really damages the visual experience of the works.
On the other hand you might take in account that photographers like me create works that are completely independent. No magazine or publisher will give me that kind of freedom to pick the subjects I choose. So you may want to chip in to support an independent artist, and a store like this might very well be one of the best ways to do that.
If not, we will soon be living in a society where only corporate endorsed art will be your main art experience. Creating art to promote products or businesses is not an independent creative process, and should therefor never be considered anything more than just another marketing campaign.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Best regards,
Hans van der Kamp
