Art Auctions: Spectacle and Value in the 21st Century

Art auctions are spectacular theatres of the contemporary art world. From glittering black-tie events to the anonymity of the digital realm, auctions stage the creation of value and can make or break artists’ careers. They are a strange phenomenon: relics from the 18th century which remain at the heart of the art world in our digital age. And yet they have undergone huge transformation in the past decades, adapting to online formats, encroaching on territory which was once the preserve of galleries, and expanding ruthlessly into new regions and categories. Why are they still relevant, and what does their future hold? This accessible new book offers a fresh view of auctions, exploring their multifaceted role in today’s international art market.

Kathryn Brown is Senior Lecturer in Art History and Visual Culture at Loughborough University and a specialist in modern and contemporary art, art markets, and digital art history. Her publications include Dialogues with Degas: Influence and Antagonism in Contemporary Art, Matisse: A Critical Life and (as Editor) The Routledge Companion to Digital Humanities and Art History.