Who or what actually decides the financial value of art? How is it that some paintings, such as those by Jean-Michel Basquiat or Gerhard Richter, sell for several million and others do not? The documentary The Price of Everything by US director Nathaniel Kahn explores precisely these questions and follows the value chains of works by well-known artists such as Jeff Koons or George Condo. In addition, the documentary, which can be seen on Amazon Prime, looks back into history and examines the legendary auction of the Pop Art collection of taxi entrepreneur Robert Scull in 1969, which is considered the birth of the art market. Collectors as well as leading figures from various auction houses are interviewed on the subject, including the former head of Sotheby's Global Fine Arts Division, Amy Capellazzo. She is anything but taken with the idea of exhibiting works by great artists such as Gerhard Richter in museums: »What a socialist idea!« This raises the issue of what capitalism and consumption mean for the work of artists themselves. At the centre of the documentary, however, remains the question of whether the value of art can ultimately be measured in money at all.
»The Price of Everything« - How is the price of art being measured?
The documentary The Price of Everything deals with the question of who decides on the financial value of art. In an attempt to find an answer, the film follows, among other things, the value chains of works by well-known artists and interviews collectors as well as leading figures from various auction houses on the subject.
Dive deeper into the art world
Abstraction of a Life
Continuation of the anniversary exhibitions: In 2026, Georg Brandner will celebrate his 70th birthday and his 50th anniversary as a freelance artist. He is presenting his works in various Austrian cities, with the next stop being Wolfsberg: On June 30 at 6:30 p.m., the exhibition Georg Brandner – 70 Years of Art will open at Galerie Atelier Berndt.
The Shelf as a Mirror of Society
An exhibition on the conservation and restoration of unusual materials in works of art: On June 27, the Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst in Ghent will open the exhibition Joseph Beuys | Wirtschaftswerte: a conservation history, centered on Beuys’s renowned work.
