Trends in the Art Criticism Development in the Context of Modern Art Market (on the Example of Kyiv Situation) Cover Image

Тенденции развития художественной критики в условиях современного арт-рынка (на примере ситуации Киева)
Trends in the Art Criticism Development in the Context of Modern Art Market (on the Example of Kyiv Situation)

Author(s): Olesia Sobkovych
Subject(s): Fine Arts / Performing Arts, Visual Arts, History of Art
Published by: Великотърновски университет „Св. св. Кирил и Методий”
Keywords: art criticism; art market; art discourse; contemporary art; socio-cultural field

Summary/Abstract: In modern realities, the degree of culture dependence on economic factors is consistently high. It is confirmed by the art world that is more and more oriented towards the global art market, which sphere of interest is commerce that moreover envisages the establishment of communication and regulation of the relationship “artist-consumer / recipient”. Consequently, the art market (despite the differences in the logic of art dealings: the art market considers it as the means of profit making; criticism tends to clarify the artistic value according to the time period) has functions identical to artistic criticism, in particular, sociocultural and regulatory. They provide for / support the formation of the artistic expression value, its actualization and functioning in the cultural sphere of our time and, as a result, interest and the formation of demand for certain art practices and names. In addition, art criticism and the contemporary art market have a certain influence on the artists themselves: judgments of art criticism, the demand for some art practices and names in the art market are to particular extent guides for authors (those who do not exclude themselves from the art market), factors of influence on further transformations in their creative activity. These circumstances, firstly, allow us to consider the art market not only in the economic field (as an economic category), but also as an interdisciplinary phenomenon of great importance for culture; secondly, it rises the practical value of exploring the interaction issue of these institutions / subjects of the cultural process (art market and art criticism), the degree of their interdependence and disclosure, dictated by the art market changes in the art criticism activities, which will determine the role of the art market and art criticism in sociocultural field. It is necessary to note that the main trends in the development of art criticism in the context of the contemporary art market are its growing dependence on commercial factors, marketing, the significant decrease in serious non-biased materials expressing the independence of their authors’ views (detailed analysis and professional interpretation of the artistic processes). This niche is being actively filled by amateur publications, information genres and advertising materials. The depicted situation creates the preconditions for providing a significant role in the artists’ selection and attraction to the commercial sphere, and, finally, for the public opinion formation to the art business representatives; dominance in the news field of information highlighted from the favourable perspective for the main players of the art market, which satisfies their interests in their own promotion and contributes to their hegemony in the art space. This situation is caused, among others, by the lack of financial independence of the art criticism in Kyiv and it lack of demand at the national art market.

  • Issue Year: 5/2021
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 10-17
  • Page Count: 8
  • Language: Russian