Clint Watson Argues Art Belongs to the Soul, Not the Market

In a Substack essay on FASO, Clint Watson argues that modern confusion about art stems from the materialistic view that there is only one economy. He posits two economies: the soul-economy and the market-economy. The soul-economy values what the creator gives, while the market-economy values what others will pay. Watson traces the 'glamour of forgetting' to Marcel Duchamp's urinal, claiming the public forgot art's deep magic. He asserts art is made first for the soul, not the sale, and that selling out means creating primarily for the market. The true artist must choose the soul-economy, but can straddle both by keeping the market in its proper place. Watson advises artists to present works clearly on websites like FASO, upload no more than 20 pieces, group into collections, and enable ecommerce. He promotes FASO as a sacred space free from big tech algorithms, offering a newsletter reaching nearly 70,000 collectors.