The slow truth behind overnight success

The fairy tale of a big break is usually only half the story. Years of preparation is often behind an 'overnight success'.
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James Sant, The Fairy Tale Image via Wikimedia

 Filipino art superstar Jigger Cruz is the kind of artist often touted in the media as an ‘overnight success’.

According to a friend, Cruz got his big break by the chance event that is the stuff of many artists’ dreams. ‘Interior decorator and art manager Miguel Rosales had scheduled a show in Italy for the painter, Pow Martinez. Due to conflicts in schedule or contracts Martinez, informed Rosales that he couldn’t make it. While visiting Martinez in his studio, he chanced on JC’s works which were kept downstairs and so he offered the show to him instead.’

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Naima Morelli
About the Author
Naima Morelli is an arts writer with a particular interest in contemporary art from the Asia Pacific region and the emerging art systems. She is a regular contributor to CoBo Social, Culture360 and Middle East Monitor, among others, and the author of a book about contemporary art in Indonesia.