"I'm also interested in creating a lasting legacy for collectors because bronze will last for thousands of years so I'm not really selling the art to this particular collector but it is being passed on"
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MacDonald is selling permanence as much as he is selling bronze. The line has the calm confidence of a studio pitch, but the real move is psychological: he’s reframing a luxury purchase as stewardship. You’re not a buyer, you’re a link in a chain. That shift flatters collectors into thinking of themselves as custodians of culture, not just people with discretionary income and wall space.
The specific intent is practical and strategic. Bronze isn’t just an aesthetic choice; it’s a guarantee. By invoking “thousands of years,” he borrows the authority of antiquity and museum culture, making the work feel pre-certified for longevity. It nudges the collector away from trend anxiety (Will this look dated?) and toward legacy logic (Will this outlast me?). In a market where value is as much narrative as material, “bronze lasts” becomes “this purchase is defensible, even noble.”
The subtext also quietly widens the audience. He’s speaking to the collector in front of him, but he’s really addressing future collectors, heirs, and institutions. The artwork is positioned as an asset that can travel: across estates, generations, perhaps even into public collections. That’s why the phrasing slips from “this particular collector” to “being passed on” - it de-centers individual taste and centers continuity.
Context matters: contemporary sculpture often competes with the ephemerality of digital culture and short attention cycles. MacDonald answers with a material that refuses to disappear, turning time itself into part of the product.
The specific intent is practical and strategic. Bronze isn’t just an aesthetic choice; it’s a guarantee. By invoking “thousands of years,” he borrows the authority of antiquity and museum culture, making the work feel pre-certified for longevity. It nudges the collector away from trend anxiety (Will this look dated?) and toward legacy logic (Will this outlast me?). In a market where value is as much narrative as material, “bronze lasts” becomes “this purchase is defensible, even noble.”
The subtext also quietly widens the audience. He’s speaking to the collector in front of him, but he’s really addressing future collectors, heirs, and institutions. The artwork is positioned as an asset that can travel: across estates, generations, perhaps even into public collections. That’s why the phrasing slips from “this particular collector” to “being passed on” - it de-centers individual taste and centers continuity.
Context matters: contemporary sculpture often competes with the ephemerality of digital culture and short attention cycles. MacDonald answers with a material that refuses to disappear, turning time itself into part of the product.
Quote Details
| Topic | Legacy & Remembrance |
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