The Cyber Nation

In his Perspective on the prospects of art’s digital revolution, Christopher Knight wonders why Web sites devoted to selling “blue-chip painting and sculpture” have foundered (“Don’t Download the Revolution Yet,” Jan. 14.)

The answer may be only a few sections of The Times away. On the same day that Knight’s piece appeared, Business section writer Denise Gellene presented the story of entrepreneur Scott E. Painter, “ ‘new economy’ Teflon man.” After describing Painter’s lavish lifestyle, which includes ‘a Bel-Air home with a view of Catalina, a boat and three luxury cars . . . including a Ferrari 550 Maranello,” Gellene tells us that he has “taken up painting, decorating his home with abstract watercolors because he considers art today too costly.”

While, from a public safety point of view, Southern Californians may be glad that Painter has not taken up building his own houses or cars in his spare time, we professionals in the arts community lament that the new cyber entrepreneurs and spenders seem to be interested in more conspicuous (and sure-fire) displays of wealth than art, particularly contemporary art, can provide.

PHYLLIS GREEN

Arts commissioner,

City of Santa Monica