Studio Job’s ‘Burj Khalifa’ (2014)
In a juxtaposition that speaks volumes about the way the art market is heading, the 14th edition of the International New York Times Luxury Conference was held just before the Art Basel Miami Beach fair this week. It was the first to be held in the US, and the two-day forum was heavily slanted towards art, with the appearance of artists such as Francesco Vezzoli, Ai Weiwei (via video) and a gala reception at the Pérez Art Museum, as well as much discussion of how the boundaries between art and luxury are blurring.
The keynote address came from François-Henri Pinault, chief executive of Kering and son of Christie’s owner, art collector and luxury goods mogul François Pinault. “The conversation between art and fashion is not new,” he said, citing Elsa Schiaparelli and Dalí among other collaborations. “Blurring the lines is the fact that art and fashion now occupy the same physical space in society. Both art and fashion are in the streets, drawing influence from and influencing contemporary lifestyles. Today art has moved out of museums, where it used to be confined, and fashion has moved in.” Read more.
