“Museums and Market. Has the Art Market Parasited the Museum?” | Barcelona Symposium 2024

TALKING GALLERIES
BARCELONA SYMPOSIUM 2024 - 10TH EDITION
22-23 January 2024
Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona
Conversation
MUSEUMS AND MARKET. HAS THE ART MARKET PARASITED THE MUSEUM?
Speakers:
Manuel Borja-Villel, Director of the temporary program of the Department of Culture for advising in the heritage field. Former director of Museo Reina Sofía
Àlex Nogueras, Co-Director, NoguerasBlanchard
Moderated by
Llucià Homs, Founder and Director, Talking Galleries
Talk in Spanish
This talk aims to delve into the intricate relationship between museums and the art market, seeking to unravel the evolving dynamics between these two entities, with a specific focus on the interconnection between museums and galleries.
In recent years, there has been an increasing trend where high-end galleries, equipped with sufficient financial means and personnel, have adapted their traditional functioning to operate more like museums. They produce exhibitions, engage in research, and create educational content using museum-like procedures.
Can museums and galleries compete in the creation of artistic value? Are there potential forms of collaboration between galleries and museums? Moreover, what happens when public institutions face underfunding, prompting influential collectors or international galleries to intervene in their functioning as sponsors or supporters? Ultimately, has the market parasitized the museum?