Artists in the Art Market and International frauds; who can help!

[Mona Youssef]

Dear artists and who may be concern,

This article is intended to address several problems that some / majority of artists have faced or may face in the future. It is about entering business over the internet with unknown agents/representatives. In this forum, Artists will have their say to share their experiences, good or bad. The purpose of this article is for artists to support one another with their inputs and knowledge. So, you are all invited to exchange thoughts as well whoever may be concern.

First of all, I would like to give a brief idea about some difficulties artists face in order to make living of their artwork. Since artists are self employed; they have to provide for all their necessities, roof over their heads, studio expenses, rent, art supplies, insurance, membership here and there, exhibitions’ fee and sometimes, travel expenses. Noting, that Artists have no vacation pay, nor sick days, no maternity leave (Male artists are excluded) nor dental coverage. However, Artists always contribute their artwork to charities and fund-raising organizations. Amazingly and after all, Artists have the unique reputation, by mistaken individuals” The starving artists”

Yes, artists are good givers, passionate, believe in people easily. Not that they lack intelligence, but because they are, in general, very spiritual and kind people. Realizing this fact, by some scammers; Artists can be good targets for Internet frauds.

It was brought to my attention that some Artists have become victims of some scammers. Those people pretend to offer irresistible contracts and promise unbeaten business to Artists, in the art market, when they have no means to follow through. Although, fraudsters have no proven verification of their business, nevertheless, have cleaver and sweet methods of collecting Artists’ treasures and money with no defined promises. The sad part is that Artists have no where to go or to whom can report their cases! Who can protect Artists from such internet behaviors and who can help!

The only law Artists have is the copyright law. Even with that, we all are familiar with the Chinese proverbs” We copy right, we do not cop wrong” Can anyone perform an “Artists union” free of charge! This organization would take care of cases as described above! Keeping in mind, that Artists have big role to play in every society, every nation and over the centuries. They bring beauty to the world, record history, create valuable treasure to leave behind, build characters to their countries as well cultures. Yes, through their artwork, they unify the world to speak one language and to bring together.

Interested Readers, we invite you please, to share your thoughts with us. What are your experiences about organizing exhibitions in foreign countries in co-operation with representatives you really don't know"?

*For further professional information regarding Global Anti-Fraud to know how you can protect yourself, you can find it at: http://www.sid.in-berlin.de/nedkelly-world/ "Scambaiting´s World" web site.

Best wishes,

Mona Youssef
Fine artist
www.mona-gallery.com

[Angelika Ulrich]

Dear Mona,
I agree absuluteley 100 % what you are describing. I had bad experience unfortunateley with a chinese who bought four beautifull unique pieces (Plates with ethnical inspired motives) of my art work in Italy.

This was last year and now I saw it copied already and multiplied (how knows how often?) (my girlfriend in munich/germany has a interieur design store) as is a shopper in Shanghai and she brought that to my attention.

well anyway bad luck - there is not that much about I can do - don't I?
I mean I know the furniture disgn business since years and I can see "everybody is copieng everybody" and you see all over cheap replicas of Charles and Ray Eames, Le Corbusier and a lot of other classic from the 30es and 40es......

greetings from miami
angelika

[Mona Youssef]

Dear Angelika,

Thank you very much for reading my article and for sharing your unfortunate experience with us all. In fact, by doing this, you are doing great deal of help to yourself and to many artists who would have the chance to read our conversation. How, artist will get the courage to speak and let the world know some of the difficulties they are facing. Silence will not solve the problem but make it known worldwide, can motivate some people who can do something about it. It takes a a cry from a baby to be heard get take care of since he dose not knwo how to speak. Certainly artists are not babies neither are incapable of speaking, but my point is that artists used to just work and never spoke out their problems, So how could they be heard and get looked after!

It always takes pioneers to initiate a new movement and open new areas for better living. So, please encourage others to speaks up, share with other artists their experiences and a solution must come up sooner or later. At least by discussing among ourselves, we cam come u with some ideas how to protect our artwork.

It happened one day and artist contacted me while he was very disturbed. He told me that he found his website with all its images under a different domain name and people are coying his work and selling. Since he mother language was not English he did not knwo what to do. I have taken the step for him and wrote to those falls owners of that new domain name. I had requested to remove this website immediately from the search engine and warned them at the same time I have reported it to Google. In few days the website was disappeared.

So, we can support one another and stand for one another until we find the needed justice. Although some people might consider it as compliment for some to copy your artwork. Fine, but it is not as simple as it sounds. Creative people need to make living from their artwork and can't afford it to just be satisfied with this kind of compliment.

Angelika, two is better than one and three are even better. So let us support one another.

Warm regards,

Mona

[TOM Merilahti]

Dear Mona & Angelica,

The only thing Id like to say is Sharing is Caring and Networking at its best is Team working. TOM

[Mona Youssef]

Dear Tom

Thank you, I can't agree more, sharing, caring and making it as team work will do.

Mona

[Angelika Ulrich]

Dear Tom,

concerning the last letter to Mona:
Well I think you are "very creative" with starting this
forum. Thanks again and have a beautifull day!

warm regard,
Angelika

[Angelika Ulrich]

Dear Mona,

thanks so much for your letter. I love your example (with the crying babies....)...
well you are so right - three or more are better then TWO.

Well, as bad as some experiences are we made - as much I love my work and I love and respect the work of other artists. Support and help each other is "the secret"! "What goes around comes around! is always my "moto". It works very well. So I think we all are doing just great with our connection...

Warm regards,
Angelika

[Mona Youssef]

Dear Angelika,

Thank you for the thoughtful reply. I wish all people are like you, we would have spent our time differently. But the good thing is that we have this good chance to meet with good people like you and thanks to Tom who opened this opportunity for us all.

Please let me knwo if I can support you at any time, within my art experience.

Kind regards,

Mona

[Angelika Ulrich]

Dear Mona,

thanks again to start this discussion
and thanks for the kind offer to support and share your art experience.
Have a nice day - full of spirit and energy!

kind regards,
Angelika

[Mona Youssef]

Dear Angelika,

It is absolutely my pleasure to offer what I have. What kind of joy can one get keeping what he/she has for themselves!!

Shortly, I will open the discussion of copyright, your participation will be welcomed.

Have a pleasant day

Mona

[TOM Merilahti]

Dear Mona,

I find your article as a very important issue, and this forum, where artists, and even other self-employed creatives, are encouraged to share their good and especially their bad experiences, as a great idea. This is really needed, and I highly appreciate that you have the GUTS ( SISU in Finnish) to open-up this discussion.

As you mentioned, artists are good givers, passionate, believe in people easily. In this specific way I feel I'm an artist as well, or at least a self-employed creative. I have also suffered from these charasteristics, and felt more than stupid a million times.

Regardless of the fact mentioned above, I still believe in the concept of "Give-to-Get", and I know there are many other people who believes in it as well. Better than this, I know that most of us humans belong more or less in the "Take-to-Get-even-More" category. Unfortunately!

On the other side, the act of creativity by itself is rewarding for many people. No audience, sale or reward may be necessary. The act itself is self-rewarding. Though a secure and ongoing income is the basic need of most of us people, there are also people who find the act of thinking to be self-rewarding; who find stimulation in addressing concepts outside their everyday life and work. It is the joy of unfettered exploration.

www.Sicusynergy.org/Synergysophy.htm

Wishing you all the best!

TOM

Let's start a fight against the vertical thinkers laterally, globally, multidimensionally, multiprofessionally....

SICU Synergy News 2/2008: www.Sicusynergy.org/sicu_newsletter_February_2008.htm

[Mona Youssef]

Dear Tom

Your comments and your support are very much appreciated. Yes, most of artists would agree with you that creativity in itself is a self-rewarding act. This when there is no sale necessary. But when it comes to making living from this very the intellectual creative work / act, verbal admiration or copying the artwork will not cover for the consequences, not only materially, but also emotionally.

Artist can feel very much attacked /hacked in different ways and might get very discouraged. I can picture an artwork to an artist as a baby to his mother. What would happened when a baby is taken away from a mother when she has no way of protecting her baby, very painful. By no means that she would consider loosing her baby as a compliment.

Artists need to be understood. Although they speak through their artwork, but everyone will interpret it differently and might look at it as beautiful work or for investment, ended there!

But as for artists it means much more than that!

Kind regards,

Mona

[TOM Merilahti]

Dear Mona,

Thanks a lot for being honest about your babies. As you can easily imagine, SICU is my baby. All the elements are protected by copyright and registered to proof this copyright even in the court of law, if necessary.

Best regards,

TOM

http://sicusynergynetwork.ning.com/group/sicuart