(after Jim Gustafson)
there’s no money in art
just exposure
likes
followers
metrics
engagement
click-through rates
maybe a tip jar
maybe a “Buy Me a Coffee”
maybe a job offer
from a startup that folds in six months
there’s no money in art
just midjourney prompts
remixes of remixes
infinite scrolls
aesthetics tuned to algorithm
you paint a masterpiece
it gets 43 likes
and a bot asks if you want more
there’s no money in art
just AI that paints faster
cheaper
never sleeps
never doubts
never drinks
never bleeds
and your soul can’t compete with code
there’s no money in art
just reels of dancers
filters for faces
virtual galleries no one visits
because everyone is making
but no one is looking
everyone is posting
but no one is seeing
there’s no money in art
but you make it anyway
because something in you
refuses to shut up
and because silence
would cost more
