Art (modern) state from doing anything

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Here's a primer for the first part, the second has not yet translated.

Le Monde Diplomatique
Philip Pato Celera

Who determines the price of the product?
Claude Monet, Francis Bacon: in the context of the recent financial stress bidding Christie's and Sotheby's identified the triumph of eternal values. Is this a sign that the wounds finally recovered from the gripping his madness, which they say many of the professionals? Indeed, it seems that in recent years, the dubious criteria - the artist's ability to "sell themselves" causing scenes works - won in contemporary art, replacing all the communication expressions of aesthetic nature.

Art (modern) state from doing anything

Damien Hirst - Britain. In July 2007, when one of his works, "Lullaby Spring", was sold at Sotheby's auction for 13 million euros, he was 42 years old. This work represents a metal chemist's cupboard, containing pills. In the summer of that year, Hearst set another record: he was a platinum cast skull of XVIII century, diamond studded 8601, according to the stakeholders, was sold for 50 million pounds (about 73 million euros) a group of investors, floor to remain anonymous. According evil tongues, you can be sure only one - the product can be sold on the value of diamonds, which is about about 19 million euros.

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With the emergence of Ready-Made Marcel Duchamp all know that any object can become a work of art, if that is the decision of the artist. "It is now impossible - like Natalie Muro, an economist at spetsiaoist culture - to evaluate the product based on its physical characteristics, especially the adequacy of the models of beauty, as done previously, during the academy; criteria such as skills, work, innovation, technology , possession of craft, originality, authenticity does not play virtually no role in pricing the works of contemporary art. Role of them so small that another pharmacy cabinet, in the winter it vresii - "Winter Lullaby" - a month ago was sold at Christie's auction in New York for 5 million euros. Consequently, only a few weeks, "Spring Lullaby" bypassed his winter sister mli at 8 euros.

Readability of the artist, unreadable works

Spring contributes to the flourishing of all life, it is well known, but it is doubtful that she was the instigator of such a rise. Accepted doubt also that the fierce bargaining buyers were sensitive to the aesthetic qualities of the cabinet with six thousand one hundred thirty-six pills each of which is painted by hand, "as a tehnichestkoe description. So what explains such a passion for the wound to such works? Advertising campaign, ably conducted by Sotheby's auction revised its June 21, 2007? Dynamism of the London market, podderzhivabschego British artists? Person of Hurst and the power of the network supporting its galleries, dealers, collectors, who met in this strategic day full mobilization?
In the late 90's. Hurst met with Mr. Charles Saatchi, the British business man, owner of one of the most important advertising agencies and the world, Saatchi & Saatchi. They perfectly complement each other. Provocative antics of one another can raschzvernutsya the arena of communication. And here is the proof that Mr. Saatchi highly gifted sense of Commerce: 1995-meters, the Hurst was awarded the prestigious Turner Prize, which since 1984, the Tate Britain museum every year awards to some outstanding British artist .
But if you look carefully, you may find that the Turner Prize award was established by a group of London metsenov, Patrons of New Art, created by - whom? ... father, but all the same, Mr. Charles Saatchi, together with the Tate. So malneyshego no doubt that the prestige of Mr. Saatchi has prompted members of the jury feel the admiration and the product of "Mother and Child» (Mother and Child) - a cow and calf cut in half and immersed in a solution of formaldehyde. This choice entailed a lot of advantages: in addition to being selected was the work of an incredibly mediatizirovannaya - to the delight of a new sponsor, a television channel Channel Four - premiums received Hurst, ofitsializirovala infallible intuition of Mr. Saatchi, and at the same time, she increased funding valuable work that Mr. Saatchi had already purchased. For its part, the largest collector of British contemporary art continued to buy Hearst works tirelessly supporting quotation Hirst and thus legitimizing intelligent choice of the jury from a financial point of view. Speculators perfectly understood the hint: social institutions and the market (initially embodied solely in the person of Mr. Saatchi) sang in unison. What they have to do but do not inject his own voice, to form a harmonious chorus? Three years later, turnover has increased by Hirst 1039%.
As we see, the role of Mr. Saatchi can not be overemphasized. "From now on, the buyer gives the artist" quality certificate ", as it did in the XVIII vekt Academy", - noted sociologist Alain Kemen. Opinion famous collector even more effective than the recognition of any official institution, as it accumulates with the financial power of social capital. "By this we have to understand - specifies Natalie Muro - set of resources are being dependent on how big and influential network that this collector has managed to create around himself, as well as the ability of each of the members of this network to make sure that everyone saw his ability to dictate the law in the field of contemporary art and recognized her. Familiarization with the list of two hundred of the largest collectors shows, for example, that most of them part of the Board of Management of Museums.
Director Venetian Palizzi Grassi, acquired by Mr. François Pinault, owner of ogromnoogo conglomerate companies in the field of luxury, to put it in his collection, was a former Minister of Culture of France, Mr. Jean-Jacques Ayagon. One of the major buyers of Chinese art, Baron Guy Ullens, created the first Kiteae private museum collection in Beijing (Ullens Center for Contemporary Art) with the most skilled professionals working in public museums. Mr. Saatchi, who helped the Swiss auctioneer Simon de Pury, also opens its museum of modern art - in the heart of London. Entrance to the museum will be free - as in the Tate, with whom he sobitaetsya soprenichat. Expected 1 million visitors. The complex is expected availability of classrooms to teachers and students to familiarize themselves with the exhibited work, listening to lectures of experts.
Aude de Kerros, essayist and painter who believes that nowadays well-known collectors dictate his taste in contemporary art, as well as the traditional criteria that established the value of the product on the market of old art, impressionism, pre-war art are not applicable to the market of contemporary art. Henceforth, the guarantee for the buyer is not the value of the artist and his works, and the power of the trader and the strength of its network of collectors. "
Mr. Georges Armaos, art historian, responsible for relations with the part of the clientele Gallery Gagosian Gallery in New York, one of the most influential galleries of the United States, states: "A significant number of kollekuionerov buys products in famous galleries, because they know that the gallery owner or trader will ensure that their purchase does not drop in price. However, there are many kollektsuionerov, in my opinion, they are the majority, especially among Europeans, who bought the work to which they want to live beyond a shopkeeper considerations.
Maybe so, but the market for contemporary art, like any other, for the normal functioning of the need to develop and the hierarchy of quality criteria. However, if these criteria are based on the effectiveness of the network effect, it is not surprising that art buyers are interested in less than people who are manipulated. This situation is confirmed by the British Art Review, published annually «Power 100" - a list of the most influential characters in the world of contemporary art.
This list is the relatively few artists (19%), among which Hearst is the 6 th, and Jeff Koons - the 13th, but the number of collectors from 19%in 2002, the year has reached 31%in 2007; For followed by gallery owners and brokers - 22%. Because these collectors appear where a lot of money, no one is surprised to learn chtgo 74%of those influential figures of American and British origin.