Abstract
Although actors in the contemporary art world tend to deny the fact, nationality and territory have a major effect on artistic fame. The most recognized artists generally belong to a very select number of countries that are all Western and among which the United Kingdom and Germany, but even more so the USA, take the lion’s share. This reflects the uneven representation of countries in the elaboration of rankings, like the Kunstkompass, used to objectivize the fame and visibility of artists. The very small number of countries concentrating the most famous artists also shows a homology with the nationality of the most powerful players from the contemporary art world, as listed in the ArtReview Power 100. In concluding the article, I show that, at least for top artists over recent years, the nationalities of the most visible artists in institutions and those of the most successful artists on the artists on the market diverge.
Keywords:
Art market; Reputations; Fame; Rankings; Globalization
