Ha ha ha huh? Art Basel Hong Kong Debate motion: "Art Today Has Sold Out
To The Market" ... note to breathless ABHK debaters - Bernard Berenson
once lucidly compared the Renaissance relationship twixt artist and
patron to that of a luxury goods tradesman (say, shoemaker, tailor to
the court) and a customer placing an order. The patron specified what he
or she wanted.
I imagine the Church and 17th century nouveau riche
tradesmen of the Netherlands also specified desire. What Modern,
and now contemporary, art patrons most specifically desire, is a ticket
to ride. A warrant to climb aboard and be associated with an artist's
intangible, but increasingly valued, prestige.
To gain admission to
realms of prestigious endeavor and experience they would otherwise be
socially/culturally excluded from - given the almost monomaniacal
pursuit of mercantile wealth is the real price of admission to Art Basel
Hong Kong and other luxury goods trade-fairs.
Blog-post image by Bill Griffith
