Interestingly, I feel that the predominant attitude in most of Western culture (and maybe others, I don't know) is the one you call 'inefficient' -- that art is produced for art's sake. I'm not yet sure whether I agree or disagree.
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If an artist can not expect any sort of rewards (IE able to put food on the table, not huge amounts of riches) then the realm of art becomes an elite enclave, for the independently wealthy and those supported by the wealthy. similar, perhaps, to the patronage system.
I would argue that the patronage system actually had the opposite effect of what you claim when it was dominant; at the very least, most 18th- and 19th- century composers whose music we still know today were supported by patrons either wealthy or royal.
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If an artist can not expect any sort of rewards (IE able to put food on the table, not huge amounts of riches) then the realm of art becomes an elite enclave
Even in such a system, though, what about a song I write to celebrate a friend's birthday? What about a nice photograph I happen to take while on holiday, and frame? I (though I have no idea whether you) would still qualify those as art, though they won't be displayed at concert halls, or shown in galleries.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2005-05-10 06:40 pm (UTC)----
If an artist can not expect any sort of rewards (IE able to put food on the table, not huge amounts of riches) then the realm of art becomes an elite enclave, for the independently wealthy and those supported by the wealthy. similar, perhaps, to the patronage system.
I would argue that the patronage system actually had the opposite effect of what you claim when it was dominant; at the very least, most 18th- and 19th- century composers whose music we still know today were supported by patrons either wealthy or royal.
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If an artist can not expect any sort of rewards (IE able to put food on the table, not huge amounts of riches) then the realm of art becomes an elite enclave
Even in such a system, though, what about a song I write to celebrate a friend's birthday? What about a nice photograph I happen to take while on holiday, and frame? I (though I have no idea whether you) would still qualify those as art, though they won't be displayed at concert halls, or shown in galleries.