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ART COMMISIONS

In art, a commission is the hiring and or payment for the creation of a piece, often on behalf of another. This does not mean that all commissioned art is paid for. An artwork may be commissioned by private individuals, by the government or businesses.

An artist may be approached by a company or an individual to create an artwork for a specific location or purpose. It could be used as part of a private collection or for public display. It is a common practice for hotel groups, restaurant chains, financial institutions, and corporate companies etc. to commission an artist to create artworks for several locations as part of their corporate image and collection.

Throughout history, it has been common for rulers and governments to commission public art as a means of demonstrating power and wealth, or even for specific propaganda purposes.

Today, public artworks may be commissioned by benefactors who wish to donate the artwork to a city as a gift to the public.