The state of Art in 2019

What does the future of Visual Arts look like? you ask?

Well, what does your magic 8-ball say?

Mine says: The future is uncertain..and exciting.

please note: all images contain links to source content for your reference. Click on an image to be redirected to the source.

**Artnet News: 6 Trends that define Visual Culture Now 2016**
*Photo: Jared Siskin/Patrick McMullan.*

Financially – I guess, hold tight, or don’t – but be prepared for stormy weather.

Interestingly, a market downturn was the forecast back in Jan 2019.

As a result the profits of art dealers and auction specialists around the world were expected to suffer a slump in 2019. This reaction was due to the booming art market in the previous years of 2017-2018, and consignors potentially being “spooked by political destabilization in China and a fracturing economy in the United States”, also lets not forget about Brexit… It’s all a bit dire if your in it to make money.

Check out “Blurred Lines: Inside the Art World” on Netflix
https://www.netflix.com/title/80190585?s=i&trkid=14170286

London art market braced for no-deal Brexit tax hikes
– Financial Times 17/8/19
*Image: Punch bag art: the annual Frieze art fair is held in London in the first week of October © Reuters*

It looked bleak on the international stage in Jan 2019, and we seem to be still on the edge of uncertainty.

A lot of collectors are probably worried about the financial investment tied up in collections and the impact they may suffer if the value of their pieces significantly declines.

For those who are curious, or nervous, there is a really interesting article featured on Artnet.com (published 8 April 2019) that looks at the market trend in detail and potential suggestions to mitigate impact. click on the image below.

Want to Be a Crash-Proof Collector? Here Are 3 Things to Do to Stay Ahead of the Art Market During a Recession
*Image above: Total Fine Art Sales at Auction 2005-2018.*
*– 2019 artnet Intelligence Report.*

Then there are the creative souls.

For them: let’s be real. Financial markets be dammed, creatives need to create…..

Or they will burst, and not in a good way.

What is happening in Art in 2019.

In one sentence: NOTHING NEW.

At the moment it seems the progression of Art isn’t pushing many boundaries, and innovation seems to have slowed for now. However if you are curious what is on the go, then here are some interesting trends still recycling about on the net.

Minimalist art
- Harking back to 70’s Scandi style, seeking purity in negative space and minimal form, today’s minimalist includes unsettling and somewhat confronting strokes of edginess

Xilografia
- aka contemporary Woodblock and Lino-cut printing. An oldie, but a goodie seeing a resurgence in the illustration/graphic scene

Pour painting
- running paint through, or over an object to create vibrant and unusual patterns
- literally pouring (flicking, throwing) paint onto a static or moving surface creating endless accidental galaxies of beauty