The visible part: Of art galleries, artistic activity and urban dynamics.: Presentation and first results of a research project

Abstract

This paper looks at the places of art and art galleries from a spatial point of view and in relation to contemporary urban dynamics. Presenting prospective reflections about the spatialities of places where transactions are financial and symbolic, as well as the data and methods used for empirical research, this paper introduces an ongoing project dealing with the Parisian gallery landscape since the contemporary art boom, in relation to the production of urban space. I argue that ‘visibility’ is a useful notion to interrogate the geography and dynamics associated with art galleries. It can either describe their presence and environment within the city and from the street, or the ‘visibilisation’ of portions of the city in relation to the dynamics of urban renewal. Based on quantitative and qualitative data, the project will offer insights into the causes and impacts of the spatial structuration of the Parisian art market on different scales. Therefore, the project enhances existing research concerning the influence of art-related activities upon the transformations of urban space, but also anchors the analysis of the geography of art galleries and its recent history in a wider socio-economical perspective.