Who’s Afraid of the Big, Bad Art Market?

On the 16th of April Dr. Julianna Bark, art historian and Head of the Global Citizenship Program art Webster Geneva Campus, gave a talk in the Creativity and Innovation Lecture Series hosted by the Webster Center for Creativity and Innovation (WCCI). Her lecture, titled ‘Who’s afraid of the big, bad art market?’, explored the impact of the market on the activity of contemporary artists, in particular its consequences for creativity and artistic production. Julianna offered historical as well as present day examples of how the market evolved and how it became a dominant player in determining what gets defined as original and valuable. She ended by proposing a few solutions for cultivating creativity in art beyond the constraints imposed by the market, including opening new spaces for artists to present and discuss their work with the public, without the mediating role played by curators, critics, and art dealers. The public was open to the general public and attended by both students and faculty at Webster Geneva Campus as well as members of the local community.