5. The end of the end of History

‘The end to the end of history’ assesses how, since the rise of the avant-garde, only art viewed from a historical distance has appeared to have direction and coherence, while the present always seems clouded in confusion. The rise of antagonistic art and street art are both part of this, which points to a deep shift in the constitution of the contemporary art world. The shift is partly caused by the increasing use of art as pure investment. In the early 2000s, the years of the art investment boom were also those of the unfolding ‘war on terror’. One direct response in the art world was a marked revival of a great variety of documentary forms.

Investment in Fine Art Market Versus Investment in Financial Instruments

The art market has been seen always as an area of excellence, where only the elected people can understand the mysteries of the specific of the arts. Although there might be both investments in assets, the investment in art and the investment in financial instruments are different. This paper explores the differences between these two types of investments. Keywords: art investment, art value, art price