Re: Art, Principles, Money

[John Horvath <h8801joh@ella.hu>]

Shelly,

No, not at all, I wouldn't consider the need to survive, make a living, 
and protecting your rights as unprincipled. I guess a good point that 
you've made which I haven't considered is the idea of an artist's union. 
The only problem is that it has the potential of developing into a 
bureaucratic mafia -- akin to the ones you are fighting against -- 
leaving you back to square one. I, too, find myself stuck in the grey 
area and basically take it as it comes: sometimes I don't give a damn 
about the money or copyright and just get my work out; other times I am 
fighting to make sure the right amount was deposited into my bank account 
and checking on the finished product to make sure it was properly 
credited to me and not altered in any way.

Although this may sound a little Marxist, the only hope for the artist is 
to somehow control the means of distribution. In this way, the net might 
somehow become a liberating force. On the other hand, knowing at how much 
is at stake, the mafia media would certainly try to oppose this, making 
the net more of a burden. We can see this now with all the legislation 
and gimmicks that are infiltrating the use of the net.

Whatever happens, we seem to be on the threshold of something. And this 
is the best time to be an artist, for thresholds is what gives us 
inspiration. In the meantime, if you find a way out of the grey (hey, I'm 
now a poet!) let me know; I'll do the same. Until then, good luck.

John