Sylvain Levy

Why the financialisation of art impoverishes its meaning — and endangers its future In “Why Hyping Art as an Investment Needs to Stop”, Marc Spiegler—former global director of Art Basel and one of the most astute observers of the contemporary art ecosystem—offers a necessary reckoning. His diagnosis is sharp, grounded in decades of proximity to the market’s inner workings. Spiegler is no outsider shouting into the void; he is a builder of platforms, a negotiator of forces, a witness to art’s transformation from cultural field to speculative theatre. When he warns that positioning art as an “alternative asset class” is a losing game, it is not a critique from the margins—it is a signal from the centre. At the heart of the art world’s current malaise lies a quiet betrayal. Not of artists or collectors, nor of critics or curators—but of meaning itself. Spiegler traces the rise and apparent fall of art’s financialisation, from late-1990s auction experiments to fractional ownership schemes and algorithmic asset rankings. His account is lucid—and symptomatic of a deeper confusion we have yet to name: the substitution of symbolic resonance with financial abstraction. Some analysts have long argued that this confusion was not only predictable, but systemic. The metrics of financial performance—designed to confer objectivity—gradually displaced more difficult questions of artistic intention, social context, and cultural value. The result is an art world that often performs as a market first, and only secondarily as a cultural field. Its institutions mirror this inversion: instead of gatekeepers of meaning, they become brokers of momentum. Attention itself is monetised, repackaged, and resold. The deeper crisis is not one of liquidity—but of belief. The pursuit of profit in art is not new, but the framework has changed. Artworks are now approached less as carriers of memory or experience and more as instruments of liquidity. Collectors build “portfolios,” not narratives; emerging artists are seen as “early-stage assets”; museums become “branding platforms.” This shift reflects a broader move from symbolic engagement to financial optimisation. And still, the promise collapses. Art funds fold. Algorithms misfire. Lenders issue margin calls on depreciating paintings. Even the data—once summoned to justify the art-as-equity dream—crumbles under scrutiny. The lesson is not merely statistical. It is moral: when we treat cultural creation like currency, we distort not just value, but values. Yet beneath this disillusionment lies an opportunity: to reframe art not as a speculative instrument, but as a practice of attention, we must simply remember that economy is downstream of culture, not the other way around. https://lnkd.in/eqCW3qvY

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Why Museum Labels Are the Unsung Heroes of Any Exhibition 📝🖼️ Ever stood in front of a museum piece thinking "that's nice" before quickly moving on? The difference between that fleeting glance and a meaningful connection is often just 50 carefully chosen words. Let me explain why exhibit labels deserve your attention. The humble museum label is actually a masterpiece of communication. When crafted thoughtfully, these small paragraphs transform artifacts from mere objects into powerful storytellers. They're not just informational placards—they're the critical bridge between centuries of history and your 30-second encounter. Here's why museum professionals obsess over them: 🔍 They transform objects into stories – That ancient ceramic isn't just a bowl; it's evidence of trade routes, cultural exchange, and human ingenuity. The label breathes life into otherwise silent artifacts. 💡 They democratize knowledge – Well-written labels make complex information accessible to everyone, regardless of their academic background or prior knowledge. 🧠 They prompt questions, not just answers – The best labels leave you curious, inviting you to engage rather than passively consume information. 🗣️ They speak in a voice that matters – The tone, language choices, and perspective of labels subtly shape how we interpret everything we see. Next time you visit a museum, notice how the labels guide your experience—they're doing much more heavy lifting than you might realize. #MuseumStorytelling #VisitorExperience #ExhibitionDesign #InterpretationMatters #eminspost #eminmuseum

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For artists who feel invisible online No, you don’t need to go viral. You need: • One collector who sees your work • One gallerist who believes in it • One opportunity that aligns with your voice That’s it. Art isn’t a volume game. Your worth isn’t tied to reach. Speak clearly. Not louder.

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Explore historical art-making recipes in digitised original sources Looking for historical recipes and original documentation of artists' materials and methods? If you are interested in primary documents written in various Western European languages (mostly German), the following platforms offer remarkable insights. They provide access to digitised primary sources — each a valuable resource for conservators, historians or anyone curious about past techniques. - Digitale Kunst-Pforte: Based on the research of Christophe Zindel and maintained by the Hochschule der Künste Bern (HKB), this digital database serves as a comprehensive gateway to art-technological sources in written and visual form. It facilitates interdisciplinary research and the understanding of historical art techniques. Each source is described and, when available, linked to its digital version. (https://lnkd.in/ey8QZxJk) - Kunsttechnologische Rezeptsammlung: Curated by Doris Oltrogge at the Cologne Institute of Conservation Sciences (CICS), this database focuses on medieval and early modern art technological recipes preserved in manuscript traditions. It provides transcriptions and, in some cases, translations modern German of the recipes, making it a highly accessible resource for researchers. (https://lnkd.in/eV-uNSER) - Hans Emmenegger's ‘Maltechnik-Notizbuch’: This notebook, kept by the Swiss painter Hans Emmenegger between 1901 and 1905, meticulously documents his painting techniques, materials, and processes. The digital edition by the SIK-ISEA and the University of Heidelberg offers insights into Emmenegger's systematic approach to painting and is a valuable reference for understanding artistic practices in the early 20th century. (https://lnkd.in/ev84j5XH) These resources shed light on the technological aspects of art-making in different historical periods and make useful tools for anyone studying or engaging with historical artworks.

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Scientists Have Recreated the Long-Lost Formula for Ancient Egyptian Blue Pigment It started out as a “fun” museum project, but it could have high-tech applications. https://lnkd.in/e_E_PXBr The Carnegie Museum of Natural History team at the Edward O’Neil Research Center takes samples of blue pigment from a small wooden falcon. Courtesy of Matt Unger, Carnegie Museum of Natural History. #archaeology #blue #pigment #egypt

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Art Basel Paris captures a market in recalibration, with brisk sales for blue-chip names, the rise of a new ‘VVIP’ collector class, and a widening disconnect between ambitious primary prices and auction reality. https://lnkd.in/g_Dzd6zK

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