Artnet News asked several working artists—Manuel Mathieu, Hanna Salomonsson, Aki Sasamoto, Nigel Hall, Sharmistha Ray, and Miljohn Ruperto—to share the practical and philosophical lessons that sustain their creative practices. Topics include building trust with collaborators, navigating financial uncertainty, setting up shared studio spaces, using recycled materials, maintaining optimism at age 82, reframing rejection, and adapting to the expectation that artists must act as entrepreneurs before their first gallery show.
This article matters because it offers firsthand, candid advice from artists at different career stages, moving beyond institutional rules to reveal how resilience, collaboration, and mindset shape long-term artistic survival. It provides valuable perspective for emerging artists and underscores the shifting pressures of the contemporary art world, where self-promotion and business acumen are increasingly required alongside creative talent.