Seven Days in the Art World Audiobook By Sarah Thornton cover art

Seven Days in the Art World

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Seven Days in the Art World

By: Sarah Thornton
Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert
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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 Art History & Criticism Inspiring Thought-Provoking

Critic reviews

"Thornton offers an elegant, evocative, sardonic view into some of the art world's most prestigious institutions." ( Publishers Weekly)
Insightful Art Exploration • Skillful Storytelling • Excellent Writing • Valuable Industry Perspectives • Awesome Narrator
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Don't let the awful cover fool you, this book is packed with interesting interviews and insights into the art world!

Full of great information

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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.

Ghastly Narration for Solid Ethnography

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

Compelling nonfiction; poor narrator performance

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

Great insight

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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.

An artist who loved the book

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

MadBad Voodoo

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I found this to be an interesting listen. I found myself captivated by the world portrayed here. I want to let it sit with me, let myself mull this book over. Good audio performance.

Worthwhile listen

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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.

Insightful but florid

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

excellent insight

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Well researched description of the contemporary art eco-system in right before the economic crash of 2008. Narrator is tiring, but interesting content.

Interesting Look at Contemporary Art World

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