Paint-on-demand
Bali 2010-2011
In Bali, countless painters execute commissioned 'craft artworks.'
I deliberately use this term to highlight the semantic conflict at play, as these painters' technical mastery is matched only by their lack of understanding of contemporary art issues. Trained from an early age in entire villages specialized in painting, these men and women offer their services for minimal fees : the creation of an original painting, at the same size, costs less than a quality photographic print.
​
How should paintings created by artisans be regarded when commissioned by a contemporary photographer? Are they independent pictorial works or a new form of print? Moreover, since these artisans do not sign their work, does the commissioner have the right to do so?
