> The fame and fortune around an artist are nearly entirely the product of the mythology surrounding them and the connections they have with other influential p

> The fame and fortune around an artist are nearly entirely the product of the mythology surrounding them and the connections they have with other influential people rather than their output. Sure, there is an element of storytelling, the ability of the artist to become a brand somehow, and another is the connections. For an artist to rise to fame, being in the right place at the right time, or rather, we should say, going to that place plays a role. But that is still an oversimplification. To rise to super-fame, beyond the enticing or compelling story element and getting the connections to influential people, you've got to pull out the works. All those artists shipped; they were more creative and productive than the others, regardless of the quality/legacy of their oeuvre.