Sold Without Substance: The Economics of Hype in Contemporary Art (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798272682864)

Step behind the velvet rope of the contemporary art world and witness the mechanics of hype like never before. Sold Without Substance exposes how balloon dogs, bananas taped to walls, and diamond-studded skulls sell not because of genius or craft, but because of market manipulation, branding, and media spectacle.

This book cuts through the myth of innovation, showing how today's "conceptual" art recycles centuries-old ideas while celebrating the illusion of shock. It challenges the celebrated icons of the gallery system - Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst, Maurizio Cattelan, Banksy, Takashi Murakami, and more - revealing their reliance on assistants, repetition, and empty gesture.

With incisive critique and uncompromising honesty, this book argues for what art should be: skill, risk, craft, and real intellectual depth. If you've ever wondered why some artworks fetch millions while true mastery goes unnoticed, this book will make you rethink everything you know about value, innovation, and hype in art.

Dr. Cor P.M. van Houte


Author: Cor P. M. Van Houte
ISBN-13: 9798272682864
Publisher: Independently Published
Language: English
Published: 11/02/2025
Pages: 566
Format: Paperback
Weight: 1.65lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 1.15d