The Art World
Who and what makes up the art world? First and foremost, the people that are enthralled with art- the lovers and the practitioners (the artists). This is the purest in my eyes because it's unconditional- the lover and the object of the love. Other members of this world are the museums, people who write about art (critics, art writers), and the buyers & sellers (patrons, galleries, and auction houses) of art. This world seems to be expanding now that art is again considered a serious commodity. On this page, we will explore the complex relationships that bind and simultaneously pulls them apart.
What Makes Great Art?
What makes a Masterpiece?
There is a difference between "great" art, popular art, and expensive art. There are very few artworks that can claim to have achieved all three titles. Watch "What Makes a Masterpiece?" to learn more.
Why is the Mona Lisa a Masterpiece?
The Mona Lisa is one of the very few artworks that can carry the title of "great" art, famous art, and expensive art.
Find out the "Story behind the Mona Lisa" brought to you by Perspective and Vat19.com (Leonardo di Vinci's innovation in portraiture).
Why do some artists become famous? Albert-László Barabási
Great art is different than famous art. People may confuse the two concepts, but they are not the same. It is a rare thing when an artwork is both.
Pranking Art
The Art Assignment, in conjunction with PBS Digital Studios, expounds on the pranks played on art which at once poking fun and continuing to challenge our ideas of art.
The reason why we may fall for the pranks is not that we are foolish. The reason is that we are conditioned to perceived and behave a certain way in different environments such as museums and galleries. We expect to see odd things placed in that environment being recognized as "art." So, the next time you fall for a prank, don't be too hard on yourself; instead, ask yourself why did you expect what you saw to be "true?" And then have a good laugh!
Art Market: Why is ART so Expensive?
The Value of Art
Is there a "The formula for selling a million-dollar work of art"? It's a bit bizarre to think that art is a commodity to be bought and sold.
To learn more watch Vox's formula for selling multi-million dollar artworks.
Auction Houses
Art does not have intrinsic value, not like water or an apple. Value has to be given to it. In recent years it has become a multibillion-dollar industry in large part to mega auction houses such as Sotheby's and Christie's. The second sales market is where the "real" money is.
To learn more watch CNBC, "How Two Companies Dominate The $67 Billion Art World"
Leonardo di Vinci, "Salvator Mundi"
How can a painting go from the value of 45 British pound sterling to $450 million US dollars?
The controversial story of the "Salvator Mundi," accredited to Leonardo di Vinci, unfolds in a lecture by Martin Kemp from the University of Oxford, UK. It is currently the most expensive painting in history, sold at Christie's in 2017 for a staggering $450 million US dollars. Currently, the whereabouts of the artwork is unknown.
YouTube video: Leonardo's Salvator Mundi: Scholarship, Science and Skulduggery
*Salvator Mundi is Latin for Savior of the World
Book Recommendation
Sarah Thornton is a sociologist who, with an ethnographic eye, explores the art and culture of the artworld. Check out her bestseller, Seven Days in the Art World (2008) and her website for more information.