Contemporary Art and Its Commercial Markets: A Report on Current Conditions and Future Scenarios

Publication maps and analyzes the complex and contested entanglements of contemporary art and its commercial markets. Contemporary art as an asset category and celebrity accessory, the rise of the art fair, and the increased competition of auction houses are among the phenomena which are discussed by academics, theoreticians, and artists. While some of the contributions show how the market's globalization and commercialization both reflect and propel the way art is produced, presented, and perceived, others downplay the impact of these developments and argue that the market's structure has essentially remained the same. All the essays trigger the question, what will art look like in 2022, and how will artists operate?