The Groove 231 - The Momentum Myth and Why Staying Relevant Is the Hardest Part
Welcome to the 231st issue of The Groove.
I am Maria Brito, an art advisor, curator, and author based in New York City.
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THE MOMENTUM MYTH AND WHY STAYING RELEVANT IS THE HARDEST PART
American Collectors (Fred and Marcia Weisman), acrylic on canvas by David Hockney, painted in 1968 at the artist’s retrospective at The Met in 2017.
In the art world, artists are getting famous faster than they did 50-100 years ago. But keeping the fame long-term is the hardest part.
Everyone loves a breakout story: the meteoric rise, the million-dollar sale, the museum solo show by 35. But what happens after the honeymoon? After the press dies down and collectors chase the next shiny thing? Welcome to the heartbreak of momentum.
Art history is littered with names who had their moment - critical acclaim, buzzy shows, major collectors; only to be sidelined years later. Some made comebacks. Many didn’t. Others never stopped making excellent work but lost the art world’s attention anyway.
This isn’t just about talent. It’s about timing, reinvention, endurance, and the brutal truth that our culture has zero loyalty and an even worse short-term memory.
Let’s unpack.
The Rise Is a Rush. The Fade Is Silent.
Momentum in the art world isn’t linear. It’s volatile, political, and deeply unfair.
Take Eric Fischl. In the 1980s, he was a star. His psychologically fraught suburban scenes were everywhere: collected, exhibited, canonized. Then came the backlash: tastes shifted, the market moved, and his name got less airplay. He’s still active, still collected, and still shows, but no longer drives discourse or defines a moment.
Or consider Sean Scully. Monumental abstraction, respected internationally, with museum shows and a strong European market. But his critical visibility in the U.S. has dipped despite his prolific output. Some say his style has remained too consistent. Others blame art-world attention fatigue. Either way, his cultural relevance doesn’t match his CV.
The danger for artists isn’t just being forgotten. It’s being filed away: important, yes, but no longer urgent.
Here’s something I hear all the time from gallerists: “We tried getting this artist to give us a show after years of working together, and they just haven’t produced anything.” Or from collectors: “Where is so-and-so? They haven’t posted on Instagram in months,” or “Why haven’t they had a big museum show yet?”
The reality is, in an era hyper-fueled by technology, FOMO, and algorithmic dopamine loops, artists are under immense pressure not just to make great work, but to stay visible, strategic, and relevant at all times. That’s a full-time job, with a side effect of burnout.
The Ones Who Kept the Fire Lit
Some artists defy the fade. They know momentum isn’t about heat; it’s about oxygen.
Take Louise Bourgeois. She worked in obscurity for decades. Her fame came after age 70, but her work was always ahead of the curve: raw, psychological, deeply personal. When the world caught up, she didn’t need to pivot. She was ready.
David Hockney is a masterclass in evolution. From Pop to portraiture to iPad drawings, he’s stayed curious and prolific. He didn’t just ride trends. He rewired them.
And Julie Mehretu continues to redefine abstraction by folding in geopolitics, identity, and architecture. Her work deepens with time, not just popularity.
These aren’t just smart artists, they’re strategic ones. They understood that the culture rewards those who stay alive to it.
Why Staying Relevant Is a Full-Time Job
So what separates the flash-in-the-pan from the forever artist?
1. Elastic Identity
Artists who survive aren’t static. They evolve. They challenge themselves. They change medium, tone, scale - not to chase the moment, but to meet it.
2. The Long-Game Team
Behind every enduring artist is a dealer, a curator, a collector who never gave up. Momentum needs infrastructure. No one does it alone.
3. Cultural Timing
Sometimes, it’s about being early and then being patient. Like Faith Ringgold, who painted history long before history paid her back.
4. Obsessive Work Ethic
Staying visible takes stamina. The artists who last don’t take long sabbaticals. They keep working, even when no one’s watching.
Let’s be honest: attention is now currency. Not showing up digitally, not “delivering” to the gallery, not making moves? It doesn’t matter how good the work is, if the art world can’t see you, it forgets you.
Relevance Isn’t Viral. It’s Viscous.
The art world moves fast, but meaning takes time. If you’re chasing constant attention, the market will burn you out. But if you’re building something deeper, you can weather the cycles.
Momentum isn’t always sexy. It’s not always loud. But it’s what turns an artist from a season into a legacy.
If you’re a dealer, collector, or advisor trying to play the long game, respect the artists who kept showing up, long after the headlines moved on.
Because that’s the real secret: persistence is more radical than hype.