Not Real Art

“Anybody can be a collector of beautiful things,” says Michael Hawley, who heads the Getty Museum Photographs Council (GMPC), a donors’ group that helps the museum acquire work from underrepresented artists. The world of art collection and custodianship is historically elitist, so it’s no wonder many people find the idea of simply entering a gallery intimidating. An established collector himself, Michael reassures would-be collectors that art is for everyone and anyone can be a collector with the right mindset. On today’s podcast episode, host and NOT REAL ART founder Scott “Sourdough” Power sits down with Michael to discuss the curator’s avid love of art and his mission to democratize ownership for collectors of all different incomes. “We're very interested in this democratization of art,” Michael says of the Photographic Arts Council Los Angeles, where he is also a sitting chairperson. To draw in a younger audience, the council recently instituted an affordable membership level for educators and studen