Comments on: Contours of the project http://www.rethinkingmarkets.org/2010/02/05/contours-of-the-project.html Economic Sociology from the Ground Up Fri, 30 Sep 2011 15:24:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ana http://www.rethinkingmarkets.org/2010/02/05/contours-of-the-project.html#comment-382 Ana Wed, 17 Feb 2010 05:58:46 +0000 http://www.rethinkingmarkets.org/?p=1192#comment-382 I hadn't spent much time considering the kind of art that cannot be sold. Performance art, street art, it is all really interesting to think about. These sorts of artworks have never been bought and sold, at least to my knowledge, so I am assuming they cannot be included in our project. The fact that these art forms cannot enter the arena of the auction house or the general art market, either because of their temporariness or their static location, puts them in a completely different category. Just like sculptures that are too large to be exhibited in a gallery space, these artworks refuse to be commodified. This is about the closest I have come to understanding a "pure" artwork, though I don't think that's what the gallerists in the Velthuis were referring to. I hadn’t spent much time considering the kind of art that cannot be sold. Performance art, street art, it is all really interesting to think about. These sorts of artworks have never been bought and sold, at least to my knowledge, so I am assuming they cannot be included in our project.

The fact that these art forms cannot enter the arena of the auction house or the general art market, either because of their temporariness or their static location, puts them in a completely different category. Just like sculptures that are too large to be exhibited in a gallery space, these artworks refuse to be commodified.

This is about the closest I have come to understanding a “pure” artwork, though I don’t think that’s what the gallerists in the Velthuis were referring to.

]]> By: Cleo http://www.rethinkingmarkets.org/2010/02/05/contours-of-the-project.html#comment-381 Cleo Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:47:40 +0000 http://www.rethinkingmarkets.org/?p=1192#comment-381 As interesting as art without "commercial value" intentions is, I think that once we abandon the original criteria, a flood of types of art will then become relevant. I do think it is important to explore both auction houses, and galleries because I think a very different client base with very different perceptions of "the price of art" frequent both. I think where the really valuable information can be found is with the art appraisers, advisers and collectors-- who literally determine how much something is worth. I do find that much of the price is determined by how much something means to someone personally and that information can only be found by going to the source. Why does an adviser advise their client to pay what they are paying? Is it because other works by the artist go for that much, or work in the same genre goes for that much or is it because the client has a sentimental attachment to the piece and will pay whatever for it? Is their an art to buying art? Price means different things to different people, but with a selection of art(istas) to interview, all who fit the criteria of fine arts, (painting, drawing,photography, sculpture possibly jewels etc) we may have a shot at figuring this out...The bigger the umbrella the harder it will be to get answers, and specifics. This being my humble opinion, of course. As interesting as art without “commercial value” intentions is, I think that once we abandon the original criteria, a flood of types of art will then become relevant. I do think it is important to explore both auction houses, and galleries because I think a very different client base with very different perceptions of “the price of art” frequent both. I think where the really valuable information can be found is with the art appraisers, advisers and collectors– who literally determine how much something is worth. I do find that much of the price is determined by how much something means to someone personally and that information can only be found by going to the source. Why does an adviser advise their client to pay what they are paying? Is it because other works by the artist go for that much, or work in the same genre goes for that much or is it because the client has a sentimental attachment to the piece and will pay whatever for it? Is their an art to buying art? Price means different things to different people, but with a selection of art(istas) to interview, all who fit the criteria of fine arts, (painting, drawing,photography, sculpture possibly jewels etc) we may have a shot at figuring this out…The bigger the umbrella the harder it will be to get answers, and specifics. This being my humble opinion, of course.

]]> By: ek2399 http://www.rethinkingmarkets.org/2010/02/05/contours-of-the-project.html#comment-380 ek2399 Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:16:43 +0000 http://www.rethinkingmarkets.org/?p=1192#comment-380 After class, I too got to thinking about art that is created not necessarily with the intention to be sold or to make a large profit. In this vain, I was wondering if art of the nature of Tribal Artwork, (i.e. African art, Native American art, ... like 90% of the Natural History Museum), fits into this project. This specific type of art was probably not originally created with the intention to be sold at an auction house for monetary profit, but were perhaps intended to serve functional, spiritual, or ceremonial purposes. And thus, how do we even begin attaching a Westernized standard of monetary value onto these types of cultural artifacts? Additionally, in exploration of this topic, how do we ensure that the art that we are importing from these cultures are indeed genuine? (For instance, if a Native American headdress gains a 10% monetary value increase if it belonged to a Chief, how is it ensured that it did in actuality belong to a chief). And how does this uncertainty of authenticity effect pricing? Also, how does the Western-value and appreciation for tribal art effect the culture that the art came from... If Western society imports cultural artifacts, does this become an exploitation of the culture? And does the knowledge of the negative externalities that accompany the valuation of cultural artifacts affect the pricing of the art? After class, I too got to thinking about art that is created not necessarily with the intention to be sold or to make a large profit. In this vain, I was wondering if art of the nature of Tribal Artwork, (i.e. African art, Native American art, … like 90% of the Natural History Museum), fits into this project.

This specific type of art was probably not originally created with the intention to be sold at an auction house for monetary profit, but were perhaps intended to serve functional, spiritual, or ceremonial purposes. And thus, how do we even begin attaching a Westernized standard of monetary value onto these types of cultural artifacts?

Additionally, in exploration of this topic, how do we ensure that the art that we are importing from these cultures are indeed genuine? (For instance, if a Native American headdress gains a 10% monetary value increase if it belonged to a Chief, how is it ensured that it did in actuality belong to a chief). And how does this uncertainty of authenticity effect pricing?

Also, how does the Western-value and appreciation for tribal art effect the culture that the art came from… If Western society imports cultural artifacts, does this become an exploitation of the culture? And does the knowledge of the negative externalities that accompany the valuation of cultural artifacts affect the pricing of the art?

]]> By: Jenn Lena http://www.rethinkingmarkets.org/2010/02/05/contours-of-the-project.html#comment-379 Jenn Lena Mon, 08 Feb 2010 03:11:39 +0000 http://www.rethinkingmarkets.org/?p=1192#comment-379 I'm wondering about art that resists monetization, like performance art, street art, environmental art, etc. Does art without (commercial) value fit within the confines of the project? I’m wondering about art that resists monetization, like performance art, street art, environmental art, etc. Does art without (commercial) value fit within the confines of the project?

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