Ambiguity in the Art Values: An Ethnographic Study of the Moral Economy of the Commons in Indonesian Artworld
Iwan Meulia Pirous (a), Nuning Yanti Damayanti (a), Yasraf Amir Piliang (a), Bambang Sugiharto (b)

a. Faculty of Fine Arts, Bandung Institute of Technology
Jalan Ganesha 10 Bandung 40132
b. Faculty of Philosophy, Parahyangan Catholic University
Jalan Nias no. 2 Bandung 40117

Abstract

The values of art in the modern capitalist ecosystem are created within the artworld, which consists of a set of relationships among its constituent components: artists, galleries, collectors, curators, critics, universities, and mass media that are associated with artworks. The artworld is not static but constantly shaped by economic exchanges among its components and resonates with the socio-economic structures that underpin it. Artworks as objects acquire valuable meanings as commodities not only through the exchange of economic, but also social exchanges. Through these exchange mechanisms, art objects are able to serve as a moral compass for the wider public or fall within the realm of common values. However, the relationship between art objects, social value, and economic value raises the question: what causes a work of art to become highly expensive?

From a cultural economics perspective, the high prices of certain fine artworks can be attributed to inherent qualities such as the maestro effect, the artist^s reputation, scarcity, and historical significance, as bestowed by critics and curators. However, these explanations fail to provide a comprehensive understanding of how art values are constructed in real-world events. This presentation describes an ongoing ethnographic research project that aims to investigate and illustrate the ambiguity surrounding the values of art and the commons. It argues that these values are continuously contested, constructed through ambiguous social actions rather than being inherent in the artworks themselves. The research focuses on the artworlds located in Yogyakarta, Bandung, and Jakarta.

Keywords: ambiguity, commons, social exchange, values

Topic: Development Studies and Humanities