One must not be an art aficionado to know that making art is only one stroke of the intricately complicated masterpiece of the modern art world.

Art has inherent value from the moment a piece is started; even if that work is never shown to the public. However, when the oeuvre of an artist does enter the market, there will forever be fluctuations to the tangible value of the art—based largely on a cast of characters whose motives and connections can significantly in- or deflate the value.

Seven Days in the Art World, a nonfiction title by Sarah Thornton, illuminates what happens after an artist’s mark has been made. She narrates a week’s worth of significant happenings and events (which span 2.5 years) to give some clarity to an industry that is famous for its elusive elitism. By shadowing and interviewing artists, agents, auctioneers, publicists, publishers, professors, critics, curators and collectors who are engaged in a variety of art world activities, she peels back a few layers of polish that keep the industry preserved. The content of the book focused on the upper echelons of the luxury market, but the goings on at the top are reflective of every other level of creative work.

As I have documented very well by now, I am relatively new to the art world in terms of being a non-starving artist and full-time creative worker. However, I have been admiring art, taking classes and flexing my creative muscles for more than a decade (although one could make a pretty strong case that I’ve been interested in artistic ventures my entire life).

I studied international business and political science as an undergraduate, but I had plenty of space in my class schedules to take quite a few electives and often chose art courses. I particularly loved one art history class which covered modern (late 19^th century-1960ish) and contemporary (1960s-present) art. In both eras, the influences of major world events on art were immense as technology improved and increasing globalization broke down barriers that once kept both the creation and collection of art in the hands of [mostly] white patriarchy. But beyond that, I was intrigued by the fact that for as much as art can reflect the past and present world, it can also be a harbinger of what is to come.

Sarah acknowledged the codependent nature of past and present influences on artists and their works, but emphasized that above all, people are what drive the market. Many of the people mentioned in the book are still active in the art market (based on my informal Google searches) and most of the major events and activities described (Sotheby’s auctions, Venice Biennale, Turner Prize) still have profound impact on artists and the art world. Although the book was published in 2008, and therefore does not take into account many significant world events of the modern age (i.e., the U.S. housing market collapse, Russian/Ukraine War, the pandemic, Israel/Hamas conflict, etc.), I found the content to feel engaging and informative.

This book reads more like an extended editorial feature in The New Yorker or Vanity Fair than a text book, but I found there to be so much value in its discussion of the valuation and trade of creative works. I felt like I received enough real information to bolster my knowledge and confidence as a working artist, and just enough juicy gossip to remind me that it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can tip the scales of your success.

This book may be for you if you also like: art museums; documentaries; art history; book publishing industry; art auctions; collecting art; luxury; travel (particularly Venice, New York, Los Angeles, Basel (Switzerland), London or Tokyo); interviews; descriptions of pretentious people; art galleries; stock market & trading; personal lives of artists.

SDG