The Philosophy of Buying Art

The Philosophy of Buying Art
by Vivienne Laws

This talk is for anyone who feels baffled or simply fascinated by the fact that a work of art that doesn’t exist in any tangible way can make mega-bucks on the art market.

How did we get here?

How can something be a work of art when it only exists in cyber-space?

The history of high-risk speculation on the art market is a relatively recent phenomenon, driven by the potential profits to be made from investment in contemporary art. But speculation has a long history in the evolution of culture and in the concept of social status, and art as a luxury good has always loomed large in this history.

To understand why anyone would want to buy an NFT we need to delve into the art market, its actors, institutions and sectors, and how they all play together in the formation of taste, perceived value and consumption. As Oscar Wilde said cryptically, “All art is quite useless” – so why is it so valuable?

Send us an email if you would like to attend.

Non members welcome
€15 per person payable on the door. €10 for members of other societies.

Sponsored by
The Spectrum IFA Group and Currencies Direct
Image by Mike Winkelmann