Seven Days in the Art World

By: Sarah Thornton

Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert

Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

The art market has been booming. Museum attendance is surging. More people than ever call themselves artists. Contemporary art has become a mass entertainment, a luxury good, a job description, and, for some, a kind of alternative religion.

In a series of beautifully paced narratives, Sarah Thornton investigates the drama of a Christie's auction, the workings in Takashi Murakami's studios, the elite at the Basel Art Fair, the eccentricities of Artforum magazine, the competition behind an important art prize, life in a notorious art-school seminar, and the wonderland of the Venice Biennale. She reveals the new dynamics of creativity, taste, status, money, and the search for meaning in life. A judicious and juicy account of the institutions that have the power to shape art history, based on hundreds of interviews with high-profile players, Thornton's entertaining ethnography will change the way you look at contemporary culture.

©2008 Sarah Thornton (P)2014 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Thornton offers an elegant, evocative, sardonic view into some of the art world's most prestigious institutions." ( Publishers Weekly)

Full of great information

Don't let the awful cover fool you, this book is packed with interesting interviews and insights into the art world!

Ghastly Narration for Solid Ethnography

You'd better be very interested in the subject to tolerate hours of the narrator's cloying baby talk. Hard to imagine who made the choice on that. The author however follows the consistent and well-organized template she's set for herself as she dives deep into the global art world. Her attention to the personal appearance and personality quirks of various art honchos she interviews is only mildly interesting and she might have paid that kind of detailed attention to describing the artworks themselves as well as the actual internal creative process of these artists - the heart of art. And even if you're not all that immersed in the ponzi'esque art market, it's representative of capitalist culture, so here's a clear look at class structure and privilege.

An artist who loved the book

Very revealing relating to the realities of the art world. I have found that many good artist are naive about how work is sold and moves through the commercial chain. This book should be required reading for students in art school and of interest to collectors and anyone interested in how contemporary art is promoted, valued and sold. As a craftsman and artist I found the book inspiring.

MadBad Voodoo

if you're an artist you will find this book very interesting! The behind the scenes narrative was fascinating in my opinion.

Compelling nonfiction; poor narrator performance

The mismatch between Thornton's style and the narrator's voice perturbed me for most of the time I spent listening to this book.

Great insight

Informative and entertaining!
A view into the the most ‘unregulated’ market!
Art is what sells!
Narrator was awesome!

Insightful but florid

As a working artist, I found this book offered valuable insights into various aspects of the art world. It is evident that Thornton is well-connected and experienced. The only criticism I have of the book is that her descriptions of some of the more nuanced dynamics in the art world at times felt verbose, even to the point of becoming a distraction. That aside, I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn more about the inner workings of the art world.

excellent insight

Author provides first hand glimpses into various sectors, or subcultures of the art world. The writing is excellent and the narration is top notch.

informative, from several perspectives

Sarah Thornton did a good job here of teaching us about the art world. With her "close up" accounts of real life events, she helped me better understand the goals and motivations of the myriad players in the value chain.

must listen for all artists and art collectors

Great listen. Easy to follow, content is well organized. Gives great insight on the fine art world works. My favorite chapter was on the auction scene.