One of the latest trends in the art world is the increased commercialization of masterpieces (i.e., Van Gogh, Monet) by producing and selling low-cost copies (i.e, t-shirts, mugs, and key chains). How does the commercialization of art affect the orginal works?
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We studied this in Heritage. A goal of heritage tourism is giving someone a chance to see the original and often the result is that he or she would buy a copy as a memento of his/her experience.
Part of what makes art sell is popularity, part is general catchiness/appeal, yet value increases because of rarity. Though there may be artists' sketches and alternate copies in existence, there can only be one original, which, provided there is demand, will maintain value. There will always be those who, though they have a copy, want to go back and visit the original in a museum, gallery, mansion, etc.
It can be refreshing sometimes to reinvent or reinterpret classics through commercialization. Different people might eventually become exposed to the originals through seeing an imitation or copy. How many of us learned about art on school field trips or by seeing something in pop culture and then learning about it on our own? What school child doesn't associate the Mona Lisa with Paris or Michelangelo with Italy?
An extreme example, and a type of "performance art" even, might be when JFK Jr. went trick or treating in his 20s as the statue of David one Halloween. Not only did the flunking hunk have spectacular self confidence, but he really did, when covered with talcum powder, rather resemble the statue! Perhaps someone seeing young Mr. Kennedy thus attired became interested in art that day. Of course in 200 years, people won't go to the Accademia in Florence thinking, "My, that statue looks like JFK Jr." This masterpiece of Michelangelo has stood the test of time.
Publicity begets curiosity. The main goal might be to generate and maintain interest in the original masterpiece. Thus, commercialization and the production of art are linked symbiotically.
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