EVENT DESCRIPTION
Upon entering the exhibition, you will encounter familiar artworks that you might recall from our earlier exhibitions. This collection features a range of unsold artworks. Additionally, an AI podcast discussing the context of the show, generated based on the exhibition press release, will be playing throughout the gallery.
In today’s speculative art market, characterized by exaggeration and market manipulation, DE SARTHE is marking its first show of the year with a month-long deliberate showcase of unsold works from past exhibitions. A curatorial concept that goes against the grain of common market-driven practices, the exhibition intends to spark critical discussions about market dynamics, reset the manipulated perceptions of what is considered value in art, and reemphasize the importance of fostering a healthy and sustainable art world ecosystem.
In the recent past, the contemporary art market has been swept over and inflated by trends driven by speculators seeking to make quick financial gains. Art became increasingly popular as a financial investment or asset, and the definition of value became predominated by sales figures, which places artists and galleries under the pressure to continuously produce sellable art, creating a spiral wherein the intention of art is lost or obscured.
But just as history has previously demonstrated, the speculative bubble is now bursting – and a market reset is taking place. In this vital moment, DE SARTHE invites a reevaluation of what constitutes artistic success, a renewal of the notion that art’s greatest significance lies not on its commercial value, but its importance, even necessity, as agents of culture. By highlighting unsold works from our previous exhibitions, we aim to challenge the preconceived notions about the quality or appeal of these works, providing an opportunity to initiate a dialogue about the intrinsic worth of art.
