Ah, the “Pressure Purchase” | Jill Halliday
Ah, the “Pressure Purchase”. You know. The repurposed paperclip and bat guano earrings from that tiny shop which you only went into because you needed directions but then you were in the store with the person you were pretty sure was the owner so you had to pretend to browse and like stuff so as not to be rude or hurt their feelings so you bought the cheapest thing there just to assuage your guilt and to get out the door... AND... remember the bag of stupid “magic” beans you bought just to get past that bendy Bedazzled Wizard Musician Man at the Fair even though you don’t believe in magic and his music made you mad...
.... oh..... and your artist friend’s painting that you felt you had to buy at their art show because they invited you to come and say “hi!” and you just knew that was code for “please buy something so people will think I’m good” so you bought the cheapest one even though you didn’t really like their style nor did you have a spot for one of their kinda weird paintings but you felt awkward standing there having to say nice things to them about their, let’s face it, really really where the eff would you ever put that piece of cr.... errr.... ART... in your home because really have you seen the way the crazy ugly eyes follow you so how could you buy that and hang it up in your lovely cheerful seaside themed home OH NO they’re putting it in your car!
LOL! Isn’t it awful?!
I KNOW! I don’t know which is worse! The poor sucker friend/family member having to buy art they don’t want and then having the lifelong sentence of pretending to just love it! Or the poor sap artist who upon visiting said friend/family member discovers their work hanging in the bathroom. The downstairs bathroom. Once, I discovered a work of mine lining the bottom of a birdcage.
no, I didn’t.
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Attending any social art event with/for a friend should be a positive experience. It’s a great excuse to don your Glad Rags and take in new and creative ideas. Liking or Not Liking the Art is part of the fun. It can stimulate great conversations. And, if you do it properly, fistfights.
However, should you find yourself feeling stressed out, and doing everything possible to avoid eye contact with the artist because you cannot think of a single bubbly thing to say about their truly weird work, perhaps do what I do .....
Be authentic. Tell your friend why you came to the show. Was it to see the work, and show support? Say so, then go and enjoy the Art.
See. No pressure.