Ask any young up and comingartist how to get shown in galleries across America, and the responsewill be another question, “Who do you know?” For young artists, the industry has long been dominated by galleries ˆ only to be penetrated if you have elite friends in high places.
Enter Artocracy.org to change the status quo.
The site was started to help artists make extra money through digital and downloadable prints. Founder Megan Murphy is motivated by politics as much as money: “We would like to see artists have the freedom to dedicate more of their time to cultivating their work rather than working several jobs. These prints are to bring challenging ideas, innovative artworks, and people together. Artocracy is about the freedom to buy or sell art without financial constraints. Artocracy is pro artist.”
A Level (Digital) Playing Field
At Artocracy.org, artists are able to compete side-by-side with the known and the unknown. Through the site, computer art is sold much like an MP3 an unlimited supply of art, making the artist money through duplication versus the typical model of one-of-a kind art.
Artocracy.org does have a screening process (similar to that of Google screening for content in key word ads) but proves to be liberal, with art ranging from “Thirteen Aliens” (a peek-a-boo view of homosexual intercourse) to “Doves” (a mystical view of paper as doves). Artists are American, Italian, Korean, straight, and gay.
The site is funded by partnership with the artist ˆ 75% of the sale goes directly to the artist and the remainder goes to Artocracy.org for web operations.
The site officially launches the New Year, January 1, 2005 with 200+ pieces. Computer artwork is sold between $20 and $50 at mass market quality (vs. archive quality). A preview site can be viewed at: https://www.artocracy.org/buy
About Artocracy.org Founder Megan Murphy
Call founder Megan Murphy the Robin Hood of the art world ˆ less likely to rob from the rich, but more likely to give to the poor. Murphy was named one of the “Top Ten Up & Coming Artists in the Northwest” and has been regularly reviewed by art critics D.K. Roe, Randy Gregg and others.
This article was last modified on March 17, 2022
This article was first published on January 11, 2005
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