The superstars of contemporary art: a sociological analysis of fame and consecration in the visual arts through indigenous rankings of the "Top Artists in the World"

Abstract

What can the rankings of "top - visual - artists" in the world tell about the social construction of value within the contemporary art domain? After drawing a historical analysis of evaluation systems of artists, we present the methodology used by the four rankings that we analyse in this article: the Kunstkompass, the Artfacts, the Artnet and the Artprice ranking. Subsequently, the first two indicators in which fame and consecration are mediated by experts are analysed in depth and compared. This highlights somewhat similar results, differing from a ranking (Artnet) with no such mediation. Finally, the link between institutional success and economic success (measured through Artprice ranking) is analysed, thus reconsidering the theory of the creation of art value at the junction of institutions and the art market.