Taste-Making Mechanisms in the Contemporary Art World

Author

Zachary Creel, University of Mississippi. Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College

Date of Award

2017

Document Type

Undergraduate Thesis

Department

Art and Art History

First Advisor

Kris Belden-Adams

Relational Format

Dissertation/Thesis

Abstract

This Honors Thesis explores the taste-making roles of various institutions within the art world. A taste-maker is a person or institution which is capable of growing an artist's reputation and increasing his/her visibility within the purview of the public. This paper identifies Museums, Commercial Galleries, Biennials, Art Fairs, and Art Critics as key taste-makers and argues that the validation which each of them offers to an artist is critical to their rise to notoriety and fame. These institutions also act as gate-keepers between the artists and the public, oftentimes deciding which artists' work will meet with exposure to larger audiences. The workings of each of the groups identified above is assessed in detail as is the web of validation created by these groups interaction.

Recommended Citation

Creel, Zachary, "Taste-Making Mechanisms in the Contemporary Art World" (2017). Honors Theses. 972.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/972

Accessibility Status

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