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Art...not just for rich people anymore
By AprillBrandon in Pop Goes the Culture
March 28, 2008

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Despite the rumors plastered on bathroom stalls across the south, I happen to be quite the cultured young lady. I mean, I never take a sip of my $4.99 jug o' wine without first raising my pinkie stiffly in the air.

From art and music to literature and the performing arts, I take pleasure in the finer things in life. However, with my paycheck, the finer things in life are resigned to discount CD's and framing famous pieces of art that are torn out of pages from art books (I'm on Barnes and Nobles most wanted list).

But now there is hope for us wanna-be art collectors. A woman by the name of Jen Bekman has found a way to connect emerging artists with emerging art collectors and all for about 20 bucks.

In a Wed. Houston Chronicle article, Bekman describes how she came up with the idea to make art affordable to those of us who barely have our heads above the poverty line.

Twice a week, her Web site, 20x200, offers high quality, limited edition prints by various artists in different sizes and ranging in price from $20 to $2,000.

According to the Chronicle article:

"Each week, Bekman sends funny e-mails to 'all you fine collector people,' explaining in plain English why she picked the week's offerings: usually, one photo and one fine-art print...stuff that's 'pretty freaking thought-provoking,' like this week's haunting offering by photographer Nina Berman, about the aftermath of 9/11.

'I want to demystify art,' Bekman says. 'I want to make it OK for people to say, 'I like that because there's a lot of green, or because there's a bird in it.' And then they can look at it longer, and see more, and have a deeper experience.'"

Considering the art world is often thought of as a closed off circuit, available only to the hip or the wealthy, Bekman is changing not only the perception but also the reality of the art world. And now, the rest of us can finally take down our college posters of Jim Belushi and Bob Marley and actually put some grown-up art into our rented apartments and townhouses.

Could shedding our diet of Ramen Noodles and Natural Light beer be too far behind?

Well, let's not push it just yet.