Interior of front space of Chelsea art gallery exhibiting Andy Warhol prints.
DAY 7 Today is Thursday, June 9th and we begin our study of the contemporary art market with Olav Velthuis'
Talking Prices: the Symbolic Meaning of Prices on the Market for Contemporary Art. Read the introduction,
chapters one and two. What are some of the factors that support the architecture of the art market? Consider
the spaces for the sale and exhibition of art; the cultural value of art; the symbolic value of art and the players
and/or playing fields involved in setting the prices for contemporary art. In your response, choose a specific
example of a particular aspect of the architecture of the art market (i.e. the gallery spaces used for selling art
that the author discusses – front room, back room, etc.; the auction house; or the different kinds of galleries –
traditional, contemporary, etc.) or a theoretical aspect of the market and/or pricing and valuation (i.e. "hostile
worlds" viewpoint) to further elucidate your point. Include images or links to support your response.
Readings
Selected chapters from Olav Velthius, Talking Prices: Symbolic Meanings of Prices on the Market for Contemporary Art (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2007
Introduction and Chapter 1: TalkingPricesIntroCh1.pdf
Chapter 2: TalkingPricesCh2.pdf
Highly Recommended, Erica Coslor, "Hostile Worlds and Questionable Speculation: Recognizing the Plurality of Views about Art and the Market," Research in Economic Anthropology, 2010.
EricaCoslor_Hostile_worlds.pdf
Individual Contributions
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Consider & comment:
What did you think of today's readings and wiki features? What issues if any did they raise for you? How did the audio visual material provided support your understanding of this topic? Comment on your classmates' posts. Leave your comments in the box below.