Who are the most marketing-driven artists alive & in history

bBB, see, I dont even consider Kincaid an artist. Im just amazed at how PT Barnum was correct.He paints like a real untrained hack. His work is more leaning to the "primitive" in my eyes.

Living artists, hmmmm, if theyre not teaching , and theyre good, then they almost have to be market driven.
It made Wyeth a multimillionaire and some of the better known wildlife artists quite comfortable. They are good, they are appreciated, and they are bought up.
I dont view market driven as an inferior status, since many of the greats were really good marketeers, like Monet, or Rembrandt v Rijn,.ALso having patrons was a matter of life in the past millenium.
We seem to accept it as a matter of course in music , yet I get a feeling that its considered a sellout in the visual arts.

Well I suppose Andy Warhol was the 20 C's first great maestro of marketing . He managed to foist on the public
the notion that the artist did not even need to be present
to create the work.

Not that this was necessarily an original idea. I guess
the apprentices in the Renaissance found the credit
deflected upwards for all their efforts. What do you think,
agrarian one

BBB, I agree with you about Kincaid's ability to market his art works. I never cared much for his mass production art works, but it seems it continues to sell like flapjacks. High-priced, mass production art works like his never ceases to amaze. I can only think of Barnam's famous quote, "there's a sucker born every minute!" c.i.

We're battering Kinkaid again? Poor guy, he just doesn't fare very well under a scrutining eye. He's the Pet Rock of the art market. Not only is a a poor painter (his composition is sophomorish and he couldn't paint a tree if his life depended on it -- strictly TV art instructor "do-it-yourself" technique). He's laughing all the way to the bank but those who have been talked into buying the work for investment by some shark salesperson is better off buying a painting of a pig-in-a-poke.

BTW, the strong rumor is that he is no longer painting even the original work.

Gene Simmons!

I know, I know...just kidding.

artists for profit cont...
Don't forget about Jeff Koons. And that guy who sold an ordinary vaccum as art for millions as a prank. What was his name?

The old masters were also pretty good at selling, as it was their livelihood. Apprentice workshops, and all that.

Jeff Koon's is a modern day poke in the eye at the art establishment, trying to emulate Duchamp and Man Ray for shock value (among others). His success is more in institutionalized art but one could ask just what or who should be institutionalized. The work, or perhaps the artist, the museum cureators or some critics?

NNY, why are you kidding about Gene Simmons? He fits the bill perfectly!

Van Gogh and Rembrandt died penniless, didn't they?

YEP, but, for van Rijn, that doesnt tell the story. Rembrandt was wildly successful and made a fortune by the standards of the day. He had absolutely no money management skills and began a large collection of artworks. This "affliction" caused him to be in debt to major dealers and art merchants.
In 1656 he had to declare bankruptcy and all his possessions were sold . He bounced back with the help of the Dutch system, in which the concepts of incorporation and "liability limitation" were available for asset protection. So Rembrandt actually became an employee of his son Titus' art gallery. He gradually began recouping his worth, but a few years before his death, he fell out of fashion. Then Titus died and so did his galpal . So, Rembrandt left with nothing else to do, died
Heres a fairly good chrono link , however it doesnt explain any of Rembrandts foibles
http://www.veritus.org/chrono/index.php

Good exposition of the unpredictable life of an artist, farmerman.

Kinkaid's marketing bubble has burst. All of the galleries in Orange County (the bastion of the limited edition print retail sales) have closed. His stock sunk into the dumpster as the law suits and rumors of his huckstering his dealers and clientele become more public. As I've said before, this set-up smells and Kinkaid could find his way into a cell next to Martha where he can paint more variations of Gainsborough's "The Cottage Door" and she can knit doilies. If there's access through the bars, they can keep each other satisfied for years. After all, they've already fucked the public.

"After all, they've already fucked the public."
hahaha...

What to put in galleries? ...Which brings up the age old question, what is art? I understand Koon's reasons for his approach, but he still never touches a thing.

I don't think Kinkaid was misleading anyone. People who bought his work didn't buy because they were collectors, they bought to decorate their homes. Kinkaid paintings are standardized to reflect things it's buyers would want. While it is frustrating as an artist to see so many fans of such a process, let's not criminalize him. He fulfilled a need.

Hey guys, Michelangelo had an enormous amount of status and power in Florence & Rome!

How are we defining 'artist' here? Are we limited to canvas art? If not, I would certainly nominate Madonna.

portal-the point that wiz is stating IS criminality and responsibility for what is called "self dealing"
Kinkaid, if its proven that hes having his work produced by others (no matter the old masters tradition), then he is engaged in a criminal act . many people dont like his work because its hackneyed, sentimental, poorly conceived and poorly executed(did I miss anything wiz?)However, those that collect it off the Shopping Network should have an expectation that the nprint they buy is, at least, kinkaids own work.
Just like the Dali conspiracies in the 50s where Dali signed blank pieces of Rieves stock and some other artist added the work, (Dali was part of the conspiracy but we dont know if he was in the sunrise of his senility or not). In that case a number of dealers and artists went to jail in France .

I must warn you my pet peeve is people using "artist" as a term for anyone creative. I think visual artists should be the only one allowed to use the term, as they don't have any better ones. Madonna is a musician.

hmm. strange. Well, Duchamp signed a toilet bowl (under a pseudonym r. mutt) that's in... (the pompedou?)
Although, I must say there's controversy about whether he created the toilet bowl or not. That Duchamp was a tricky guy.

Oh, I see. I thought he did the originals and then had his workshop highlighted (do parts of) them. It's only criminal if it's sold as his and his hand never touched any part of the work. Why would a print be considered his own work? If he did the original, he should be fine legally.

His work isn't as poorly executed as a lot of contemporary artists. He uses mixed color and lots of layering. I'm not saying his work is good or bad, but he gets a lot of flak b/c he's not respected in the art world. His stuff isn't meant for anything but decoration, and it seems to be doing it's job. The problem is people putting him on an artistic pedastal b/c they like his work, while he's not doing anything particularly exciting from an art scene standpoint.

Portal Star....hmm....first off, I don't consider Madonna a musician. Secondly, the term 'artist' is generic, hence my question. However, I think it is extremely pretentious of you to only consider the term "artist" exclusive to visual arts. You are a visual artist. I am a food artist. Tom Waits is a musical artist.

Main Entry: art·ist
Pronunciation: 'är-tist
Function: noun
Date: circa 1507
1 a obsolete : one skilled or versed in learned arts b archaic : PHYSICIAN c archaic : ARTISAN
2 a : one who professes and practices an imaginative art b : a person skilled in one of the fine arts
3 : a skilled performer; especially : ARTISTE
4 : one who is adept at something <con artist> <strikeout artist>

Get off the high horse....pet peeve or not

Remember Peter Max? Album covers, posters, clothing. What about others of that pop art realm, tatoo artists, animators etc., biker and hot rod art.

Would you believe that there is a housing developement going up somewhere in California based on Kincaids paintings. Exact replicas of the houses!