On collecting

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Art collectors and collections make up an important part of the contemporary arts and crafts infrastructure. Not only do museums and art collectors improve an artist’s financial situation by buying their work; just as important is the symbolic meaning of the collection. To be included in the ‘right’ collection or museum can give the artist a high level of recognition; at the same time the purchase secures the work a place in a system whose aim is to preserve the work for the future. Collecting is a selection process which has economic, social, political and art historical implications and consequences for the artist, the art scene and the public. In On Collecting the authors look at collecting from public, private and personal perspectives to shed light on some of the structures that are responsible for how artworks become ‘collectable’ and thus available to the public in museums and public spaces.