The Value of Art: A Comparative Analysis on Artists Careers

Nathalie Moureau, Professor of Economic Sciences (University of Montpellier Paul Valéry)

On 10 April 2025, the second ENCATC Art Talk on the value of art, again held at the Université libre de Bruxelles, compared the careers of American, German, British and French artists. Nathalie Moureau started from the Quemin report of the early 2000s, which found that French artists struggled to break through internationally and were under-represented abroad. Under the title "Tell me where you exhibit, and I'll tell you who you are", she argued that equally talented artists can follow very different career paths, depending on the artistic, economic and social environment in which they work. Drawing on work carried out with Wondeur AI and on a study of every exhibition held by French, German, British and American artists throughout their careers, she examined the geography of exhibitions across these art scenes and what it means for artists' careers.