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A lot has been said about the financial crisis and what follows from such a crisis. Massive layoffs, bankruptcies, things are tight, we hang on to our cash, trying not to spend them ;-) We feel insecure, how long is this going to last, is it going to affect me and it that case how ? We cut back on the extravagant items, whether it is designer furniture, bags, clothes or expensive holidays.
The music industry is amongst the trades that are deeply affected by the recession. For a lot of businesses, where artists like myself make money by performing at their parties, music and entertainment is "extravagant" and we are amongst the first things they cut back on. I understand that during this time where businesses are firing employees, putting on big expensive parties, that could have paid for the fired employees, can't be done from a moral and sympathy point of view. But on the other hand something needs to be done for the employees who are still there. They need to be nurtured, the bad atmosphere needs to be cleansed. Life is still worth living and all things being equal, the extravagant things are part of making life fun.
I've tightened my own belt by not buying so many new Gucci bags ;-) and not a new car right now ;-) And still, I've chosen to invest in art, actually more than one piece because it makes me happy. Maybe we can't quite afford it right now, but I believe that everything will work out. No need to panic and there might actually be a gift embedded within the crisis: that it forces us to think about what is important for each one of us in this life. I think it is about what we can do to help each other.
Imagine how a cashless society would be. Based on barter deals and trade, personal favors and goodwill. In a lot of ways it is a charming thought :-)
To the left is a picture of me, one of the paintings that I've bought and the artist Per Hillo.
Read more about Per Hillo and his art work |