Description
The Supermodel and the Brillo Box – Back Stories and Peculiar Economics from the World of Contemporary Art – Hardcover Book
The Supermodel and the Brillo Box: Back Stories and Peculiar Economics from the World of Contemporary Art is a book by economist and art market expert Don Thompson. Published in 2014, the book explores the intriguing and often secretive world of contemporary art, shedding light on the dynamics that drive the prices and valuations of artworks in this complex market.
Thompson uses a range of case studies and examples to delve into how art becomes valued, not just aesthetically but economically. The title itself refers to two iconic symbols of contemporary art: the supermodel, representing glamour and commercial appeal, and Andy Warhol’s Brillo Boxes, which exemplify how everyday objects can be transformed into high art. This juxtaposition sets the stage for a discussion about the intersection of art, commerce, and culture.
In the book, Thompson discusses various factors that influence the art market, including the roles of auction houses, galleries, and collectors. He examines peculiar instances where art prices have skyrocketed due to branding, mystique, and the sometimes speculative nature of buyers and sellers in the art world.
The Supermodel and the Brillo Box is insightful for those interested in understanding the behind-the-scenes activities that shape the contemporary art market, making it accessible and engaging for both art aficionados and newcomers to the art scene. The book is highly recommended for its deep dive into the often opaque and fluctuating economics of modern art.
Acquiring contemporary art is about passion and lust, but it is also about branding, about the back story that comes with the art, about the relationship of money and status, and, sometimes, about celebrity. The Supermodel and the Brillo Box follows Don Thompson’s 2008 bestseller The $12 Million Stuffed Shark and offers a further journey of discovery into what the Crash of 2008 did to the art market and the changing methods that the major auction houses and dealerships have implemented since then.
It describes what happened to that market after the economic implosion following the collapse of Lehman Brothers and offers insights and art-world tales from dealers, auction houses, and former executives of each, from New York and London to Abu Dhabi and Beijing. It begins with the story of a wax, trophy-style, nude upper-body sculpture of supermodel Stephanie Seymour by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, which sold for $2.4 million to New York über-collector and private dealer Jose Mugrabi, and recounts the story of a wooden Brillo box that sold for $722,500.
The Supermodel and the Brillo Box looks at the increasing dominance of Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and a few über dealers; the hundreds of millions of new museums coming up in cities like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Beijing; the growing importance of the digital art world; and the shrinking role of the mainstream gallery.
ISBN – 9781137279088
Cover – Hard
Pages – 288
https://www.roundflat.com/shop/books-and-magazines/the-supermodel-and-the-brillo-box-back-stories-and-peculiar-economics-from-the-world-of-contemporary-art-hardcover/https://i0.wp.com/www.roundflat.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/The-Supermodel-and-the-Brillo-Box.jpg?fit=331%2C499&ssl=1https://i0.wp.com/www.roundflat.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/The-Supermodel-and-the-Brillo-Box.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1The Supermodel and the Brillo Box - Back Stories and Peculiar Economics from the World of Contemporary Art - Hardcover Book The Supermodel and the Brillo Box: Back Stories and Peculiar Economics from the World of Contemporary Art is a book by economist and art market expert Don Thompson. Published...roundflat webmaster@roundflat.comAdministratorRound Flat Records
