I've been very fortunate that I have lived in both major urban centers like San Francisco and New York City and very rural areas of the Southwest in Arizona and Colorado. Both landscapes are beautiful and vibrant, but of course in very different ways. As an artist I love going to see art in person. Living in a rural area this is not so easily done. Through the years, I have managed to squeeze in art exhibits in my travels for family obligations, but it's not the same as walking into a gallery or museum whenever you want.
When living in a city it's easy to forget how much art is so accessible: from going to see movies; to watching live theater; to hearing live performances in music venues of all varieties; to visiting museums and art galleries featuring local, national and international artwork.
In a rural area the above can be available, but much planning must happen as the accessibility factor is greatly diminished. In my very small community much work is done to host and support a few art outlets like the local artisan gallery collective and exhibitions of local art at the library and a cafe. Also music comes in the form of a few local bands playing at the brew pub and through an annual evolving music festival. In the next two larger-sized towns, each about an hour away, the variety of options increases.
Truly it is amazing how organizations and individuals make art available in these remote areas—often through foundation grants. But really there are many remote parts of the United States I would call "art deserts." A term inspired in part by the definition of "food deserts" as noted by the USDA as living 10 miles or more away from a supermarket for rural areas. In this case, living 10 miles and often more—away from visual art venues—can have an impact on one's quality of life. Of course the scenic beauty of living a rural lifestyle is pretty amazing and one could counter that much of urban America is living with a lack of natural beauty.
But back to visual art...
Right now the pandemic has greatly impacted how art—in all its forms—can be accessed by anyone and everyone through many formats on the internet.
Beyond being an artist, I'm also a former New York City gallery owner. Lately, I have been reading the New York Times to see how galleries are navigating the COVID-19 lock down and now the reopening. An article that captured my attention was "With Galleries Closed, Art Dealers Rethink Their Real Estate Needs" by Scott Reyburn from Feb. 26, 2021.
The article is mainly focused on the London art scene, but it was the comments from Iwan Wirth of Hauser & Wirth that truly captivated me.
“‘Phygital’ is the future
of commercial art galleries,” said Wirth, referring to a
hybrid business
model that blends digital and physical experiences. This new
way of
working had emerged during the pandemic, he added.
“It
needs bricks and mortar. Artists respond to a physical context, but
it’s digitally
accessible to everyone everywhere,” said Wirth.
The emphasis in bold is mine. Those are revolutionary words, which have inspired me to create The Living Room blog. My desire is to review visual art in this new internet environment and consider the phygital experience.
My vision is that a phygital art scene could transform America's "art deserts," and beyond—by making visual art experiences accessible to everyone such as homeschoolers, the elderly, people living with disabilities. So many people could benefit from this shift.
So join me in The Living Room for an armchair ride into a phygital experience as I review visual art around the internet.
