Accessibility In Art…Or Why We Love Technology!

One of the great discriminators in art appreciation has always been cost. Art feels like an expensive pursuit and not many of us have the disposable income to cover our walls with a Picasso or two. As with all the best lies, there is an element of truth. Original art in the traditional sense (oil on canvas, sculpture, etc.) remains prohibitively out of reach for most art lovers. It is simple economics based in the tried and true principles of supply and demand. One original with lots of demand generates a price point that can rapidly shoot past any reasonable budget. The consumer is left with few options, generally centered on paper reproductions which may or may not be more reasonably priced and will certainly lack the texture and look of canvas.

In the mid-1970’s, innovation in printing technology revolutionized what consumers could expect to see on their walls. Large format printers were soon able to print high quality images directly onto canvas. This carried a wide variety of immediately recognizable benefits. For an artist, it was now feasible to be able to reproduce images directly on canvas without the expense or delay associated with print plates. Many artists could now show and offer a range of artwork unfathomable just a few years before. As the technology matured, the end product came closer and closer in color and vibrancy to the original piece. In addition, canvas of various finishes became widely available for production. We even saw the addition of a new word to the art lexicon: giclee. From the French for “nozzle”, giclee was meant to give this new lower-cost method of production a more polished tone. After all, the roots are in the same ink jet printers many of us use in our home or office! Associating with this markedly unartistic technology would debase the “exclusivity” of the reproductions. 

We disagree! Being able to reproduce art on canvas (Banksy Canvas Art being one of them) in a finish that comes remarkably close to the original has been a tremendous boon to art lovers. We are certain that some fears have been justified…there are plenty of subpar actors in this industry. Some companies have always prioritized the bottom line over everything else. The raw materials they use will show a commitment to driving down costs rather than driving up quality. Our focus is different. We want to make PingoWorld into a successful company, of course…but we want our success to rest on the cornerstones of quality and beauty rather than dollars and cents. At PingoWorld, we embrace what technology offers today and eagerly anticipate what it will bring tomorrow.

Technology has also fundamentally changed what we conceive to be art. On the fly filters and editors on smartphone apps can rapidly change a routine shot into something drastically different and far more expressive. Coupled with the affordable ability to translate a JPEG on a screen to a 30"x20" stretched canvas on your living room wall, the doors have opened for an ever widening range of expression. Elitism, rooted in capital for the art “collector” and rooted in infrastructure for the artist, has given way to a new era: An age when your walls are bare because of choice rather than necessity. We are excited to be a part of this age and be a trusted partner in helping to decorate your life. Go ahead reward yourself with a beautifully handcrafted Banksy Canvas Wall Art!