The Market Is the Best Judge of Art's Quality

May 2013

Intelligence Squared proudly presented the motion "The Market Is the Best Judge of Art's Quality,” which coincided with the first edition of Art Basel in Hong Kong. Some believe that the viewer's experience of a work and its validation by scholars are what make a piece of art important. Others argue that the market, the last unregulated multi-billion dollar business, is the most reliable measure of an artist's talent. Four brilliant thought-leaders from the art world tackled questions such as: How is the quality of art determined? Do skyrocketing prices reflect enlightened connoisseurship? Or is the contemporary market simply fuelled by the tastes of a handful of buyers and sellers? Do critical analysis and art history matter in the appreciation of art today? In the absence of strong museums and art criticism, is it acceptable that prices dominate the conversation about art? Amy Cappellazzo teaming with Jeffrey Deitch fought an excitingly close debate against wining duo Matthew Collings and Rirkrit Tiravanija.

RESULTS

Pre-debate vote: For 20% | Against 60% | Don't know 20%
Post-debate vote: For 25% | Against 73% | Don't know 2%