Art and the Global Economy

I went to find the pub date for this book, because I list it in a university syllabus for a course I teach. I was surprised to see the book only had one 3-star review. This 5-star review is corrective -- should average out substantially above 3 -- and to add some narrative comment. This book is informed, deeply researched, and expansive. It, to me, takes the methodological and rhetorical style of critical theory writing and applies that to contemporary global art markets. I personally find that kind of writing overly dense; yet I find the book useful and important as a contribution to the field--to the extent of recommending it to students. What this book particularly adds is a global perspective that is grounded in awareness and reflectiveness about colonial histories and power dynamics across markets, while also offering well-researched and detailed case studies of various contemporary art spheres. Dense but repays the effort and encapsulates important signposts of the current day global art market.

just ok