Episode 7 spotlights Taylor Morrison (@weopen), an emerging force in contemporary art discourse whose unfiltered critiques routinely draw more traction and eyeballs than many of the art market’s most canonized critics. From a basement painting studio in upstate New York to the global stage of Instagram, Morrison represents a new era in which the internet is leveling the playing field—allowing a sharp-eyed art lover from Troy, NY to influence taste and conversation at a scale once reserved for institutional gatekeepers.The episode explores Morrison’s unlikely path: skatepark outsider, quiet observer, product of a multigenerational art lineage, and eventually the creator of The Dungeon, his viral critique series. Morrison shares his philosophy of looking closely, judging art by the object itself, and resisting the pressures of hype, repetition, and market-driven taste.This conversation captures a cultural shift in real time—one where authenticity outperforms pedigree, and where a single honest voice can disrupt an entire system built on pretense. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit primarymarket.substack.com

In this episode, Topper sits down with painter Kiki Valdés, whose journey through the art world has been anything but linear. Born to Cuban parents and raised between Miami and New Jersey, Kiki discovered drawing as a refuge—an early lifeline in classrooms where he struggled to read but excelled at making images that spoke louder than words.Kiki shares how comic books, cartoons, and the chaos of 90s Miami shaped his early style, and how mentors—from public school teachers to art-world icons like Kenny Scharf—helped him recognize painting as his life’s direction. He opens up about navigating a Miami art scene defined by gatekeeping, the surreal chapter of painting live in nightclubs to survive, and the twists of fate—like a landlord who collected his work instead of rent—that led to his first New York show at the National Arts Club.Topper and Kiki explore the deeper emotional landscape behind his work: the darkness that crept into early paintings, the humor he later embraced, and how smoke, nature, and memory began to populate the canvases. They also dive into the bigger questions:What is the art market really? How does an artist “make it”? How do you avoid losing your voice to trends, gatekeepers, or commercial pressure?This conversation is raw, human, and inspiring—a story of grit, culture, reinvention, and an unwavering dedication to making art on one’s own terms. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit primarymarket.substack.com

In this episode of Primary Market, Topper Luciani sits down with Aidan Thomas and Devora Kaye, founders of the Macedonia Institute, one of the most unique and influential artist residencies in the U.S.They share how a chance upstate house purchase turned into a decade-long project hosting over 150 artists, building a print studio, fostering community, and creating a pressure-free environment for experimentation. We also dive into the realities of the contemporary art market, life as collectors, and what it truly takes to support artists today.If you’re interested in artist residencies, emerging artists, collecting, or the future of contemporary art, this conversation is a must-watch.#artresidency #macedoniainstitute #contemporaryart #primarymarket #artcollecting #studiovisi This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit primarymarket.substack.com

In Episode 4 of Primary Market, host Topper Luciani sits down with Freddy Husbands, a Minneapolis-based artist whose mesmerizing works of intricate line drawings explore labor, flow, and the sacred in repetition.From his early years at an art-focused middle school to his experiments with massive hand-drawn works using Micron pens, Freddy reflects on:* The spiritual and mathematical resonance of sacred geometry* How the evidence of work itself becomes the message* His critique of art world gatekeeping and MFA elitism* The tension between authenticity and social media performance* Why great art is simply “doing it over and over again”This conversation moves fluidly between philosophy, craft, and hustle — revealing what it means to create something timeless in a digital, disposable age.🎨 Explore Freddy’s work: freddyhusbands.com📸 Follow him on Instagram: @f_h_u_s_b_a_n_d_s🎧 Subscribe to Primary Market for weekly interviews with emerging and established voices shaping contemporary art and culture. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit primarymarket.substack.com

In this episode of Primary Market, host Topper Luciani sits down with Los Angeles artist Brendan Donnelly — a cult-favorite creator known for blending subculture, nostalgia, and dark humor into fine art. The two explore Brendan’s journey from skateboarding and punk shows in 1990s Connecticut to his Hollywood-inspired exhibitions.They discuss:* How album art, Nirvana, and ’90s skate culture shaped his visual language* The origins of his viral vampire character* Hollywood’s seedy underbelly, parody pornos, and the myth of fame* The role of humor and death in art* Collecting vintage t-shirts, tabloids, and pop culture relicsThis is a deep, funny, and nostalgic conversation about the intersection of darkness, comedy, and American culture — told through the lens of an artist who never stopped being a fan.🎧 Listen if you love: punk art, nostalgia, Hollywood lore, outsider creativity, and the weird beauty of American pop culture. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit primarymarket.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit primarymarket.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit primarymarket.substack.com