Seven Days in the Art World

EAN:9780393067224 Label:W.W. Norton & Co. Author:Sarah Thornton Binding:Hardcover

"Seven Days in the Art World" is a rather poor book that pretends to offer a current and insightful overview of what Sarah Thornton considers contemporary art practices Vapid and Narrow Account of Dominant Art Elites. Touching seven topics, that she believes to be pivotal to understand art, she structures the notion of seven daily narratives of her travels and interviews with the characters she is connected to2009-03-03 Rating 1. After a perfunctory introduction it offers: The Auction (Christie's NY), The Crit (CalARts) , The Fair (Art Basel), The Prize (Turner), The Magazine (Artforum), The Studio Visit (Murakami), and The Biennale (Venice). Under the coating of a badly structured ethnographic approach, defended upon the idea that the book is supported by hundred of interviews, the text works rather as a collection of impressions from a high society reporter. Some generalizations are offered early on aiming to provide some substance to the vapid writing. For instance, Thornton argues that the notion that "contemporary art has become an alternative religion for atheists" runs through the book narrative. But in fact, such a controversial statement is barely touched through the book, and it seems undeserved to try to expand or revoke the argument when she makes such careless effort to offer parallels between religion and art practices. Instead of trying to participate exposing her bias and developing critical opinions, the use of her personal narrative operates as a falsely objective and accomplice participant into what she tells. Full of gratuitous compliments, and social etiquette remarks, she becomes the pivotal center of attention of the book as she navigates her project. While it is fair to say that some of her observations do illustrate well certain circles, attitudes, and recurring behaviors of those represented, it is done in such a matter of fact and uncompromised, and uncritical fashion that it loses any capacity to articulate a meaningful insight. What tries to pass as an ethnographic narrative often amount to little more that petty gossip, and she looks more comfortable in doing tabloid writing for the art world than in remotely trying to craft an actual snapshot of the diversity of cultural manifestations that one should observe under art. True, most of the segments of the art practices she illustrates so well are elitists, spoiled, and extravagant, including her own participation, and she offers glimpses into some of the dominant market practices that try to be imposed as the unequivocal discourse of contemporary art. Early on Thornton tries to explain that the art world is much more than the art market. Ironically she does precisely little to expose practices that are not heavily linked to elitist, market oriented culture. The book is very much a glimpse into her interpretation of the establishment, and instead of offering a solid portrait of a part of the art world to illustrate the whole, she takes that part to be the whole. Reductionist, limited, and elitist, it is really disappointing to see volumes like this trying to pass as meaningful works on contemporary culture. Absorbing and very readable - while the action of this book takes place over seven days, the author conducted a large number of interviews to gather information Seven Very Interesting Days. She works this information into the book in a way that shows multiple points of view2009-02-27 Rating 5. For example, on the chapter on graduate school critiques her interviewees express a range of well-developed and contradictory arguments on the usefulness and educational value of art critiques and how they should be conducted. I was especially fascinated by the chapter on the art fair, where just having enough money (or even offering more money) will not guarantee yourself the right to purchase a work of art. At this event, gallery dealers won't necessarily sell to anyone, rather they will sell to the person with the best collection in order to build up their artists' reputations over the long term. This added challenge adds to the allure of art for certain rich people who can already acquire almost anything they want. I really enjoyed the sociological viewpoint she brought to this book in that it kept her from falling into the two traps most other writers would have fallen for - she is neither sold on the glamour of the art world, nor does she use it as an excuse to try to dismiss or "debunk" the art world. She is admirably balanced and clear-eyed and that's what makes this book a joy to read. Contemporary artists have works selling in the tens of millions of dollars (Damien Hirst's diamond-encrusted skull sold for $125 million) Getting into the Whys of Million-Dollar Art. Museums are seeing record-setting attendance2009-02-08 Rating 5. Sarah Thornton gets into the whys of this, in her engrossing book, Seven Days in the Art World. Each of the seven chapters focuses on a different part of the contemporary art world, and often off setting each other--chapter one starts in the rarefied air at a Christie's auction at the Rockefeller Center in New York, while chapter two visits "The Crit," the California Institute of the Arts, where students learn the language and forms of art. Other chapters include the opening day at Art Basel in Switzerland, a visit to Japanese artist Takashi Murakami's workshops and foundry. Thornton is an engaging author, and, while each chapter reflects a single day in a specific art area, the amount of work she has invested in preparing and completing this book shows the actual work (5 years) she invested. Not for the casual art collector, but definitely for the hardcore modern art lover. This book is an intriguing peek behind the curtain of the contemporary art scene from art school to the Venice Biennale A peek behind the curtain. You meet all the players from struggling artist to billionaire collectors2009-01-20 Rating 4. . Seven Days in the Art World is a must read for anyone interested in what happens in the Art World seven days in the art world. It's written so well you're being educated but having a good time in the process2009-01-20 Rating 5. Want to know about the big "ticket items" in the art world? This book gives you the dish! (one small problem? written before the art world tanked). A fly-on-the-wall account of the smart and strange subcultures that make, trade, curate, collect, and hype contemporary art The art market has been booming. Museum attendance is surging