For artists, the big problem to solve is to show off. Honoré de Balzac said it in the 1800s. And even if today’s artists are certainly less difficult to make themselves known thanks to social networks, having some advice on how to move on the net is certainly useful. Austin Kleon, artist, writer and consultant of Google, Pixar, Foursquare and TEDx, thought about it in the book “Sowing as an artist” (Vallardi, pp. 124, euro 12), which contains 10 ideas to share creativity and make known your work.

“I had in mind to create a sort of manual for beginners and this is what I produced: a book for those who hate the very idea of ​​self-promotion. An alternative, one might say, to self-promotion ”, Kleon writes in the introduction, entitled ‘A new way of operating’. Which? Sharing, or talking about your projects, regularly put online fragments of your works and what you are learning. In short, if in the previous book (“Steal as an artist”, Vallardi), Kleon explained how to take inspiration from others’ ideas and re-elaborate them with creativity, this time he teaches to fascinate others, “so that they will steal from you”.

The Phaidon publishing house came to the rescue with ” Akademie X: Lessons of Art and Life “, an amazing collection of tips for emerging creatives from established artists (and behavior models), including Marina Abramović (“Are you ready for a Marina Abramović Memoir? ”), Dara Birnbaum, Olafur Eliasson, Joan Jonas, Miranda July, Neo Rauch, and Richard Wentworth.

Artnet News sifted through the book with the aim of distilling the most useful pearls of wisdom, so that you can start on the right foot. Here are 12 useful tips.

1. ‘If you want a normal life, find a normal job’ Sanford Biggers dictates the rule, simple and sweet.
2. Dan Graham warns of the star system “obsessions” and underlines the wrong behaviors with respect to all that is contained in the MAF, “Master of Arts” programs through 4 points that must be clear: 1.) The emphasis of making art as a professional in a ‘career’ rather than experimenting with passion. 2.) The obsession with transforming the artist into a future ‘art star.’ 3.) The obsession with applying academic logic to art, a good example is the overuse of the world to ‘problematize.’ 4.) The exclusive teaching of Contemporary Art found in the magazines in the library. ‘
3. Katharina Grosse, on keeping calm and focused, says that ‘it is important for young artists to have clear what they want. When you think about which galleries you would like to work for, you must first consider what you want: financial success, comfort and support, or any notoriety … I, for example, look for gallery owners who challenge me. I had my first exhibition at a gallery when I was 35 years old. ‘
4. Carol Bove advises to keep the intellectual level high but, at the same time, to have fun with lightness of spirit: “Creating a space where to play and have fun without a real purpose, is fundamental”.
5. Charles Gaines summarizes some very simple ethical rules: ‘In my lessons, In my opinion, art is not exempt from a certain moral responsibility. So don’t do anything that is illegal or that can harm someone. Do not use your art to exploit or a means of spreading racism, homophobia or sexism.