iStealyournewspapers t1_iy8srjc wrote on November 29, 2022 at 4:40 PM

Reply to comment by GlitteringHighway in NYC Salary Transparency Law Exposes Art World's Lowest Wages by exgalactic

Are art handlers not part of the art industry? Because they are. Anyone whose job aids in the existence of the art industry is part of the art industry. Is a painter painting houses part of the art industry? No. Is a painter painting the walls of a museum in the art industry? Yes. Same goes for security. I’ve known one guard at Gagosian for like 10 years. He’s part of the art industry. He’s a Gagosian security guard. Gagosian depends on the guards to keep their work safe, or at least create the appearance that it is safe.

GlitteringHighway t1_iy902v5 wrote on November 29, 2022 at 5:29 PM

If an art handler is handling art then they are part of the art industry. That’s obvious. For them to do their job they need to be handling art. If they became a security guard…then they are in the security field, not the art field. For a security guard…they need something to guard, it doesn’t have to be art.

A labor painter who paints walls of buildings, and one day paints the outside of a museum, isn’t part of the art industry. ( Though you could stretch that I suppose his industry might effect overall paint/tool prices)

A artist who paints in his/her home and doesn’t sell or license their work, is a hobbyist.

An artist who paints at home and sells or commercializes their work, is in the art industry.

That Gagosian friend? He’s a security guard, in security no matter how long he works there. There’s nothing wrong with that. His industry is security not art.

Is there a gray area in some jobs? Sure. Is it worth arguing over. Nope. What matters is they get a living wage, and hopefully enjoy their work. That’s about as far as I’m going with this.

iStealyournewspapers t1_iy943z8 wrote on November 29, 2022 at 5:55 PM

But how is an art handler considered to work in the art industry when what they do really isn’t all that different than a talented mover or handyman who knows how to carefully move and/or assemble something valuable (that isn’t considered art)? Like I said, I personally believe that if your job specifically aids in the production or continuation of the art industry, then you’re working in the art industry, even if it’s just for a day here and there. I do see your points for sure, and like you said it’s kinda semantics, but I do feel it could be argued the other way. Just for fun maybe I’ll ask my guard friend if he’d consider himself to be working in the art industry, or if he sees himself as purely working in security.