HERE'S A THOUGHT

In his book The Gift, Lewis Hyde posits that living artists provide talent and inspiration as gifts to society. He further notes that today’s artists are collectively in a predicament, living ‘in an age whose values are market values and whose commerce consists almost exclusively in the purchase and sale of commodities.’ A provocative and thoughtful New York Times Magazine article about Hyde, published in mid-November, underscores the timeliness of his commentary. In the last few months—when markets and commodities are viewed with apprehension by even the savviest investors—we’re once again reminded of the lasting values promoted in the works of artists and scholars.