Past screening

The Price of Everything

Directed by: Nathaniel Kahn
Runtime: 1hr 38min Year: 2018
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Directed by: Nathaniel Kahn
Runtime: 1hr 38min Year: 2018
Country: United States

Director Nathaniel Kahn talks to artists, collectors, auctioneers and dealers about the capitalist hijack at the heart of the contemporary art market.

What’s in a name? Contemporary art exploded onto the auction scene in the 1970s and the value of art has since metamorphized into an investment game. When artist Larry Poons found out it was his name that was most valued by dealers, he dropped out of the art market.

Jeff Koons on the other hand is the master of salesmanship and thrives on the frenzy. While many artists would rather see their works taken in by museums, dealers and auctioneers are priming private collectors for their bottomless wealth.

“There’s people that know price of everything and the value of nothing”, asserts one art collector….although which box he falls into is ambiguous. As artworks are auctioned for outrageous figures, Director Nathaniel Kahn investigates the capitalist hijack.