Brian Holmes on Sat, 24 Nov 2012 19:20:50 +0100 (CET)


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Re: <nettime> Collectors, artists and lawyers. Fear of litigation is hobbling the art market


Fabulous article.

The art market (now based on auctions and mega-fairs much more than galleries) is said to be the world's largest totally unregulated market. But I think narcotics have been conveniently left out of that calculation!

Typically there is a large boom in the art market after stocks or other financial assets go bust. This one has been historic and game-changing, due to the entry on the art market of the new millionaires and billionaires created by neoliberal globalization and the credit bubble. Most people think it's funny and why not let their money slosh around for a while, but from another angle, as public institutions go under, what we're seeing is the rank corruption of aesthetic activity which under better circumstances might have transformed perception and opened up new solidarities.

Art expertise in China often carries little weight because
authenticators are thought to be in cahoots with a dealer or seller,
says Shin-Yi Yang, a curator in Beijing. So living artists make more
money, since they can personally assure buyers that a picture is not a
fake, he says.

Vampires enjoy the taste of hot blood!


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