In the American version of "Untouchable", there is a line that people remember vividly. The protagonist is a wealthy man with a disability, and sitting in a wheelchair does not prevent him from appreciating art, spending a lot of money to buy art collections.
The black brother who was in charge of taking care of his daily life did not understand the practices of these rich people, and spent a lot of money to buy a painting that he could not understand at all, and hung it on the wall.
The rich man explains: You can't price a piece of art, you spend money just to show that they mean something to you.
The words are very elegant, but this way of finding meaning is beyond the reach of ordinary people. The art market is getting hotter and hotter, in large part because there are more and more rich people in the world, and billionaires are emerging in an endless stream.
When the rich man realized that buying a house could no longer show his taste, art collection was a very elegant choice.
Compared with the real estate of the house, the art collection has greater advantages, it will not disappear and disappear, it will not be outrageously expensive, take it out to appear that it is cultured, and it can be hidden and enjoyed alone. This valuable investment has created a boom in the art market in recent years.
But as a layman, when looking at the art history that has been auctioned off at a sky-high price, there is always a doubt in my heart.
For example, why do some works and artists receive more attention? Why are some works of art so neglected that they are called gods many years later? What determines the value of a work of art? How does art circulate?
American writer and art journalist Sarah Thornton wrote a book called "Seven Days in the Art World" specifically to answer these questions.
The book was painstakingly completed by Thornton over a period of five years, running numerous fairs, biennials, museums, and auctions, and interviewing more than two hundred and fifty artists.
The so-called "Seven Days in the Art World" actually selects seven scenes from the birth to the dissemination of art, and the key links of the collection process: auctions, art criticism, fairs, art awards, art magazines, artists' studios, and biennials.
Thornton recreates almost the entire process of the birth of a work of art.
In the art world, we take it for granted that artists are the most important, that they are the creators of art. But in the process of the birth of art, the artist only completed the initial work, and the subsequent "creation" and "polishing" needed the joint achievement of art dealers, curators, critics and collectors, without the existence of these people, even the best works could be obscured.
One of the most famous examples: Van Gogh was unknown during his lifetime, countless paintings were hidden under the bed, unattended, and after the shooting, his brother and sister-in-law, in order to fulfill his wishes, did their best to publish his albums, prepare for his exhibitions, and find many people in the art world to promote his paintings, which allowed the depressed painter to show them to the world.
Of course, the artist is important, but the promotion, exhibition, dissemination and collection of works of art establish the value of art.
In Thornton's words: "The artist is an important source of art, but the people who pass through the art in the process of circulation are the key factors that determine the value of the work of art." In fact, the art market focuses on those masters whose artworks have been experienced. ”
Many super collectors will stamp their own stamps on the artwork they buy, which is a unique signature that later becomes a guarantee of value-added.
Although the process of adding value to the work of art may make the artist very dissatisfied, as if the collector has become the master of the art and plagiarized the work of the artist, we have to admit that art is valuable only when it is in circulation, there is no circulation process, and the art is just a mirror for the artist to be alone.
Circulation has turned art into a hot commodity, even a luxury, to feed a large number of people in the art world. In a way, this means that art is only valuable in the context of a transaction.
In the auction house, the auction of a work of art can achieve a triple effect, so that the artist recognizes his contribution and significance in terms of culture, so that the public and collectors believe that these works of art are valuable, and investors can continue to give financial support.
Of course, it is still easy to make us form a simple and rough impression, in the art market, in fact, every link is not simple, the artist's creation is of course the premise of ensuring that everything can be carried out, the critic's comments can attract the attention of the public and collectors, exhibitions and biennials make the art more well-known to the public, the auction enhances the value of the artwork, and the collection confirms the social status of the artist.
To quote one of the book's curators who are well versed in communication, a work of art must be remembered, and the best way for people to remember something is for him to buy it home.
This does not mean that we measure all the value of the existence of art in terms of money.
For many collectors, there are many reasons to collect a certain work of art, and the money is only the most obvious and direct, easy to quantify the standard.
Thornton mentions many collectors in her book, and she often asks very directly, why do you collect art?
One of the most impressive answers was: I am an atheist and do not believe in God, but I believe in art. Art can help us understand the world and understand the meaning of our existence.
For such collectors, art became their religion. Many artists probably agree with this statement and are proud to have such collectors.
Source: Henan Art Industry Association