I agree that "selling out" is a strong statement, and I should've been more careful to register that I don't consider it selling out. I think it's to our benefit as societies if artists are our graphic designers, the music in our commercials is made by people who wish they were classical composers, and so on.

I also think it's to our benefit as creative people. It reminds me a little bit of the time I was discussing the decoration of a pair of walls at the college where I work with the intern in my department. We agreed that a giant logo would have looked better on the wall facing the back entrance, but when I said that ultimately, though, it made more sense to put the logo on the wall facing the lobby, she disagreed fiercely on the grounds that better aesthetics is always better marketing/branding.

On my reading though, even from a purely artistic point of view, the only reason you'd hide the focal point of a piece in the least accessible part of the work is if it was beneficial to the message or question of the art itself, and hopefully the practical reality that you shouldn't paint the logo on the back wall just because the back wall is nicer-looking is a thought that has value for her more artistic endeavors, as well.