(13 of 13) THE ART MARKET IS LESS ETHICAL THAN THE STOCK MARKET: CLOSING ARGUMENTS 2 & RESULTS

[cmsegrelewis]

It was no surprise to me the outcome of that debate. The art world and art market are built on nepotism, favoritism, and hegemony. I do love strong art, but then how am I informed what strong or good art is? How does one artist rise to acclaim and another remain in obscurity? There is no transparency and every artist understands it's about who you know, what you have to say, where you have to be, what you look like, filter, filter, filter . . . The art market and art world are fabrication.

[ZeitOner]

@cmsegrelewis I think hegemony will always be the case of a large society, but there are also individual responsibilities involved. It simply makes tough to weed out good or bad art. In reality,as artists,we'll come out with stronger analytical skills. However, there has been a huge improvement over the past,like half a century ago where the only thing being sold or shown was AbEx or pop.This isn't an argument for complacency,sometimes its useful to have cynical energy,but it eats your soul up.

[bobadillia]

The financial rewards of Art speculation have outstripped the cultural/spiritual rewards of experiencing art therefore the foundation of its ethics has also been undermined. The Auction houses are fully aware of this shift and will take full advantage of it to their advantage.

[rf2056]

Jerry Salz was never much of an art critic and this complete lack of logic and judgement is in full exhibition here--he is laughable and pathetically so.

[ZeitOner]

@rf2056 really? I think he thrives in this sort of debate that takes more than logic, its sloppy and has always been that way in philosophy (aesthetics) and anything involving art. I think he moves on beyond the simple question at hand, which may be too simple for all of these people. You can only argue so much in this tiny amount of time. They didn't even go into cultural hegemony. Many of them clearly agreed with each other and were on opposing sides. Its not strict dialectic.

[iwitchhunter]

The guys arguing for the proposition were complaining about millionaires who get ripped off at fancy auctions. I don't think that is what makes the art market unethical. What makes it unethical is that it is full of parasites who build their fortunes on the hard work of other people (artists). The idea Amy put forth that everyone in the art world is involved primarily because they love art, not because there is money to be made, is just laughable. Some collectors never even see what they buy.

[iwitchhunter]

I don't know why they spent so much time talking about regulation. When the stock market was unregulated there was rampant corruption and greed. Once the stock market became regulated, there was still rampant corruption and greed. Regulation seems to be beside the point-- people will find ways to side-step it.

[slurpeeday]

Just walk through some modern art collections, half of it is crap. It seems to me that the art market is all about demand manipulation. Also, the people in the business seem unable to understand how they could possibly be manipulated. Makes me think this is a good business to scam. bwah ha ha

seriously though, worst Intelligence Squared debate ever.

[karlconsiglio55]

I think them both unethical, two wrongs don't make a right, and the worst one don't make the bad one good.

[TheFreepainter]

The lack of organization was distracting to the audience and if you ask me, the fact that all the points led to the wrong question, caused them to give the wrong answer.

[TheFreepainter]

No one really bothered to go over how the stock market works, or even to analyze the unethical tendencies within it. It wound up being a debate about whether the art market is ethical or not OVERALL (which seems to be the more important question) as opposed to the original topic “is the art market less ethical then the stock market.”

[TheFreepainter]

This debate was sloppy and unsatisfying. Most of the speakers wound up contradicting themselves and even the individual sides didn’t seem to share the same point of view. (And to be honest I think Adam needed to just get up and go sit at the other table with his friends) Jerry was the only one who re directed us to the extremities of this comparison.

[TheFreepainter]

@TheFreepainter (READ FROM BOTTOM TO TOP)

[AngryDraftsman]

@TheFreepainter Art debates are sloppy. Own it.

[TheFreepainter]

@AngryDraftsman lol guess soo

[hectorh29]

I agree its less ethical but its true that it cant be regulated because what is good art is subjective to a given time and place in history. I just dont like that fact that like i stated 4 times or so that billionaires who only care for art b/c of the financial gain are now leaning on museums or creating museums. This inevitably alters taste in what could be a negative way b/c despite it being subjective its ripping the choice from those who should make art choices like educated art lovers.

[thedragon5487]

@hectorh29 One could observe the art world to be just as unethical as the stock market. You have to remember that the whole world is a financial market. The sneakers you're wearing that are stitched together by a little boy in Thailand for nickels a day to keep costs down for Nike to the lumber your house is made of. Everything is determined by money which equals worth. .

[hectorh29]

Jerry that is

[hectorh29]

What is this guy taking about. ha ha ha he is not on this planet. Must of been hungover

[karstenkaczor]

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