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Comment: Migrated to Confluence 4.0

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The art market involves aspects of many different subjects:   Psychology - in that perception, which is a part of any art sale, is also a major part of human behavior.  Sociology- in that attendance at an auction house's preview is a powerful means of socialization.  Anthropology - as a painting such as Warhol's Campbell's Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Can, is a piece of culture.  Economics - because despite all the variables in setting the price for a piece of art, basic supply and demand is still very much in play.  Marketing – as shown by the power of promotion that was a part of Damien Hirst and his Beautiful auction.  And good luck - such as when Basquiat was able to make contact with Warhol by being in the right place at the right time.  It is a market that despite a history of fakes, price fixing, and lack of regulation, transacts almost $80 billion a year.  The goods sold in the market are often unusual, like a stuffed shark, and to some extent, hard to value.  Money, fame, connections, being branded, and location, all go a long way in how well you do in the market.  It is a market with so many different and complex dynamics, that is sometimes hard, if not impossible, to explain.  All this, and much more, is what I think defines the art market.