Art and Economies

Art and Economies is a transdisciplinary field that brings together a wide variety of research directions.

The research area is strategically located between the mutual questions of its two constitutive disciplines and at the same time challenges the traditional conceptions of both of these fields. Research questions range from the intrinsic value of art to the economy of artistic production and presentation, from discursive orders to market pricing, as well as the overlapping of various forms of value and processes of evaluation, each embedded in its own specific rationalities, epistemologies, and norms. 

Far-reaching social dynamics and processes
Research on art and economies is therefore not only relevant with regard to art history and aesthetics, but also treats far-reaching social dynamics and processes. The developments of globalization, migration, financial capitalism, and technology are profoundly linked to those in art. As a result, the critical-reflexive mode of artistic production must constantly be updated in view of infrastructural realities.

Alternative socio-economic visions
At the same time, the speculative and performative nature of art allows it to delineate a discrete, albeit situational space within the overarching socio-political environment, in which alternative socio-economic visions can be lived out. By understanding critique as a transformative practice, new categories and innovative methodologies can be developed through this transdisciplinary approach.