This little thing called Inauguration

Would we have launched if Obama didn't win?  Probably -- but the original tone would have been much, much different.  We wouldn't have rushed to open our doors so to speak.  With this many new faces coming to town we figured it best to show ours.  So here we are, not quite finished, but extremely close. 

It seems that artists from all mediums have found inspiration in Obama.  Maybe we have too.  The cheering on election night most definitely pushed us to work on this site at a greater pace.  Combine that with a prolific amount of art-related inaugural events and you've got a deadline for opening that must be met.  Thank you President Obama for providing immediate motivation. 

The question now is, "Will President Obama continue to be a catalyst for the DC art scene?", and of course we're hopeful that he will.  But confident in that fact?  No, just hopeful...

Perhaps being business minded ipso facto means being a touch cynical at times.  While it seems that Obama inspired art will continue on for the next couple of months, and could experience a resurgence should he prove successful in office, there will come a time when the art world will grow tired of using him as a model.  When that moment comes President Obama will still be vital to the art scene, no longer as a model for the canvas, but as a provider of canvases.

This is because of course the real catalyst for artwork in any society is a strong economy.  Thriving societies have thriving art scenes.  Yes there are exceptions to that rule and in an upcoming editorial we will focus on artwork under opressive conditions.  However, you need not be an art historian to know that the European Renaissance existed because of favorable economic conditions and a ruling class that valued art.  Someone paid Michaelangelo.  Someone probably paid Shepard Fairey.

Our premise is that art is dependent on money, perhaps more than society cares to admit.  Let us tell you from an art promoters point of view, that money is crucial to the process.  Artists need the money for materials, but even more so they need someone able to purchase their work.  Those murals credited to Shepard Fairey that adorn many a DC building might not have been paid for.  Surely the buildings were.  Ideally it will be those who value art that continue to purchase property in DC and providing canvases both inside and out.  Someone owned the ceiling of the Sistene Chapel, and someone own's Marvins, and someone or something provided the inspiration to decorate both.  

So how far can Obama's inspiration go?  His status as a focal point in art might fade like the murals.  Though as a visual icon it would not be surprising if his face became as famous as Che Gueverra's or Bob Marley's.  Maybe it is already.  As a constant motivator for the art world, who's to say?  Time appears to be the authority on this issue, and we are not a patient group of people here.

If and when the buzz around Obama as art quells there will still be a recession that hinders the production of art.  Providing canvas will be significantly harder and more important than being a model.  Moreover improving the art scene would be nothing more than a by-product of a far greater vision.

We're helping with that vision, we think.  This company is designed to improve the economic status of local artists by helping fuel the production of art.  We watched his speech last night and again were both impressed and inspired.  When consumers feel more confident in their financial situation they will begin purchasing more.  Our focus now is to inform potential buyers of artists and the arts in DC so that those who have the means and desire to buy local art can.  Our goal is pure, albeit a bit lofty, we want to provide artists with both inspiration and canvas.  We want to share in Obama's vision of hope.

We want Obama to deliver the nation into a greater economic status.  Why? Well because we like art.  Surely there exist other less selfish desires, but again, thriving societies have thriving art scenes.  Achieving our goal will mean that we as a nation have already reached higher ground.  Even better we will have been lead there by a man who serves as true inspiration, and consequently an inspiration to the art world.  There's work to be done, people.

So can he do it?  Can we?  There's hope...