# Why do some artists succeed ? *Data shows it's not about talent 🤔* By [Nahiko's Bookmarks](https://paragraph.com/@nahiko) · 2024-11-25 --- Hi Pals ! I attended an Art Residency last week ! 🏰 It inspired this week's article, **Why do some artists succeed (but you don't** 😂**) ?** ![](https://paragraph.xyz/editor/callout/information-icon.png) Estimated read time: 2 minute 12 seconds. * * * A life-changing experience -------------------------- A few weeks ago a good friend & collector invited me to an Art Residency. So I stepped outside my comfort zone _(meaning I accepted talking to people without using a keyboard 😅)_ And it changed my life. It opened up many potential collaborations, curations, exhibitions etc. ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/4edc302b078f90d0fa9dae2fbd2e3d20.png) **This would not have happened if:** I had not met these amazing people, **This would not have happened if:** my friend had not invited me, **This would not have happened if:** I had no network. Science shows artist success is tied to their network ----------------------------------------------------- It reminded me of this beautiful map: ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/b8943eb2841bb2030d3b8fa0bd0a47d0.webp) _"The Art World" network map created by Alfred H. Barr Jr. for the MoMA_ Kandinski, Picasso, Apollinaire, Duchamp, Debussy, O'Keefe,... **they all knew each other.** _Still not convinced ?_ Scientist [@Barabasi](https://x.com/barabasi), showed **an artist's success can be predicted by the first 5 galleries** they work with: [![User Avatar](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/ba4c69f0d5f0f36d47bcfe2764618d66.jpg)](https://twitter.com/barabasi) [Albert-László Barabási](https://twitter.com/barabasi) [@barabasi](https://twitter.com/barabasi) [![Twitter Logo](https://paragraph.xyz/editor/twitter/logo.png)](https://twitter.com/barabasi/status/1061624548922195968) YES, WE CAN predict artistic careers, after mapping out the invisible networks that govern prestige and value in art. Three year work with a fabulous team, published last week in Science! Read the paper: [goo.gl/mDs7Qw](https://t.co/w9uG85IIFC) or Ch3 in [#TheFormula](https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheFormula) [formula.barabasi.com](https://t.co/fIxNHXcowe). ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/91cdfb5c6e6af1f3935578463b3991dd.png) [![Like Icon](https://paragraph.xyz/editor/twitter/heart.png) 509](https://twitter.com/barabasi/status/1061624548922195968)[ 3:19 PM • Nov 11, 2018 ](https://twitter.com/barabasi/status/1061624548922195968) It goes well beyond the traditional art world --------------------------------------------- You think this only applies to Art ? It applies to anything that cannot be measured. In fact, **even when results can be measured, success is still tied to networks !** here's a hilarious example for athletes: ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/6e68c88eed89f474cdea380efc42f09f.png) _from CBC's_ [_article_](http://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/the-science-of-success-1.6423192) _on Barabasi's book "The Formula"_ Does this apply to NFTs ? ------------------------- Short Answer: Probably. Research from Barabasi on Superrare [published in the New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/07/opinion/nft-art-market.html) showed that **the market is "clustered" around a few collectors**. ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/d51c71b00ac80707ce3769b6e5b599de.gif) _"SuperRare Primary Network" by Barabasi Lab_ While this also happens in the trad art world, it seems to be even further exaggerated in the NFT space ! 😭 So, what should artists do ? ---------------------------- I'm not sure. Who cares about Success ? I care about Legacy. ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/f27c7d282a956eb71307d51fe286468d.png) _Zima Blue Artwork by_ [_@Brokenbeanie_](https://www.instagram.com/brokenbeanie/) **But Legacy needs people carrying it.** So go out, connect. Be fearless. Human connections are exactly this: **HUMAN**. Your next best friend is right around the corner. _to you, whom I met last week,_ **_thank you_**_._ * * * **Dive Deeper:** [![](https://paragraph.xyz/editor/youtube/play.png)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgZ1X4Dok3Y) [Hidden Masterpieces: Successful Artists Are Master Connection Creators](https://medium.com/@peepx/hidden-masterpieces-successful-artists-are-master-connection-creators-2bf8449308c6) [Quantifying NFT‑driven networks in crypto art](https://barabasi.com/media/nft-driven-networks.pdf) [Quantifying reputation and success in art](https://barabasi.com/media/pub_imports/files/972.pdf) [ BARABASI LAB · ART · NFTS ------------------------- This first instance, in any sport, that the #1 women's player in the world beat the #1 men's player, took place in September 2002, when Judit Polgár defeated Garry Kasparov in chess. The NFT, released by Judit Polgár in collaboration with BarabásiLab, commemorates this unique moment in history. https://barabasi.com ![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/f01939f6813f498cbe24c95fc7ef293b.png) ](https://barabasi.com/art/works/NFT?id=14) * * * Thank you for reading this issue ! See you next week ! ✌ xoxo Nahiko * * * _If you enjoyed this issue, please tap the Share button below_ ❤ _Thank you!_ [Share on Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=I%20found%20an%20interesting%20newsletter%20%21%0A%0A%40nahiiko%20pushes%20the%20boundaries%20of%20NFTs%20and%20shares%20everything%20he%20learns%20along%20the%20way%3A%0A%0Anahikosbookmarks.com) **_I share 1 new thing I learned in the NFT space, every Sunday_** ✨ Don’t miss the next one: [Subscribe](https://paragraph.xyz/@nahiko/memberships) --- *Originally published on [Nahiko's Bookmarks](https://paragraph.com/@nahiko/bookmarked-36)*