Auction Houses as Architects of Emerging Art Markets: African Modern & Contemporary Art in the Global Auction Market

Abstract

This research explores the evolution of the art market and the position of auction houses as market agents driving this transformation through their investment in emerging art categories. It will investigate the case study of African Modern & Contemporary Art, considering how the category has grown over the past several decades through the involvement of commercial and non-commerical actors, with a particular focus on how auction houses specifically have contributed to this development