Becker's And Moretti Case Study

In this paper I aim to analyze Becker's and Moretti's approaches when they make sociological studies of art. Their approaches have in fact opposite characteristics. Becker is more interested in the creation of the art works that are created in different art worlds. Becker's approach is related to the supply side of the art worlds. He analyzes the networks, ties and relationships that helps or directly contributes to the art works. However, Moretti's approach is quantitative and he analyzes how the consumers of the art works affect the created works. Those fluctuations of the demand affect the styles, genres and so on. He says that quantitative data helps us to analyze the forces that drives the art works to change. However, if I were to start

This approach would be helpful analyzing some of the works that are created by 'superstar' artists. For example, some artists are at first doing most of their work on their own before they become famous. After that, with the pressure from the art worlds they try to create as much work as possible and they often choose to work on the ideas. The make sketches on a canvas, for instance, and the remaining work is being done by art school students that are working for making a living. Then the artist makes the final touches and the work is signed by him/her. The question is whether if this work is a 'valid' art work? How about consumers of art that believed this is a work all done by an artist? Those questions that can arise by those problematic relations and information asymmetries can only be solved by looking at the complex networks of the art work creation process from the beginning to the end. Also Becker's analysis can be used for aesthetic judgment and valuation even he didn't meant to make such judgments at the first place. Let's take an art work that criticizes labor conditions in Africa. The art work resembles intensive labor that is used to create consumption goods in Africa and is created by intensive labor of local workers in Africa. Artist acknowledges the contribution of of those workers and

Often, collectors rely on art dealers when deciding whether an art work is 'good or not'. They are not very knowledgeable about how valuable a specific art work is. Valuation of an art work is made by some criterias .How much are the similar art works worth? Are there any artworks that can be bought or is this the final chance to have a Picasso in your home? Does any museum show interest such as MoMA? Or was that artwork owned by Charles Saatchi? Is it going to be auctioned at Sotheby's? All answers of these such questions helps determining the value of an art work. The network of the actors of art worlds should be analyzed for example if we were to study the phenomenon of skyrocketed prices of art works. However, where Becker's approach is not enough is that he believes there are different art worlds. Becker states, 'Art worlds typically have intimate and extensive relations with the worlds from which they try to distinguish themselves.' Even though they share resources, exchange ideas and they are part of a larger social organization, not everything is shared and this is one of the main reasons that generates a curious economics phenomenon of the art markets. We should try to find a balance between researching every aspect of the complex cooperative network of art creation and limiting the research to a specific