Books in the Hot Topics in the Art World series

Written by an art advisor and former gallerist with an insider's perspective, this book provides a timely overview of the commercial-gallery sector at a moment of rapid change and expansion. More than any participant in the art market, galleries are seen as mysterious actors with an opaque code of conduct. This book offers a fascinating view of the gallery ecosystem, presenting a systematic diagnosis of key challenges and opportunities facing the sector today. Henry Little discusses the integration of bricks and clicks, addressing the tension between a gallery's physical premises and its online presence, further asking how the world's largest galleries have pulled so far ahead both in terms of their physical expansion and their digital offering. In an industry which increasingly rewards consolidation and brand recognition, the book asks how small and mid-tier galleries can hold their own and whether the traditional gallery model may be under threat in an increasingly digital future.

This book spotlights the role that contemporary art will play in Saudi Arabia's new push for cultural diplomacy as well as sweeping reform in the country. As the Kingdom mobilises its vast resources behind the economic and social priorities of its Vision 2030 strategy and seeks new terms of engagement with the international community, art is set to take centre stage. This book looks at both the historic and contemporary contexts for this recent state-led focus on art in the Kingdom; at how its planned events and programmes stand apart, in resource, scale and ambition, from seemingly similar initiatives coming from that region; and at both the opportunities and pitfalls, not just for the burgeoning art world of Saudi Arabia, but for practitioners and professionals around the world.

Censored Art Today is an accessible, informed analysis of the debates raging around censorship of art and so-called 'cancel culture', focusing on who the censors are and why they are clamping down on forms of artistic expression worldwide. Art censorship is a centuries-old issue which appears to be on the rise in the 21st century - why is this the case?Gareth Harris expertly analyses the different contexts in which artists, museums and curators face restrictions today, investigating political censorship in China, Cuba and the Middle East; the suppression of LGBTQ+ artists in 'illiberal democracies'; the algorithms policing art online; Western museums and 'cancel culture'; and the narratives around 'problematic' monuments. His fascinating study, which draws on extensive research and interviews, reveals why censorship has become the hottest of topics, impacting substantially on artists.

Debates about the restitution of cultural objects have been ongoing for many decades, but have acquired a new urgency recently with the intensification of scrutiny of European museum collections acquired in the colonial period. Alexander Herman‿s fascinating and accessible book provides an up-to-date overview of the restitution debate with reference to a wide range of current controversies. This is a book about the return of cultural treasures: why it is demanded, how it is negotiated and where it might lead. The uneven relationships of the past have meant that some of the greatest treasures of the world currently reside in places far removed from where they were initially created and used. Today we are witnessing the ardent attempts to put right those past wrongs: a light has begun to shine on the items looted from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, the  Americas and the Pacific, and the scales of history, according to some, are in need of significant realignment. This debate forces us to confront an often dark history, and the difficult application of our contemporary conceptions of justice to instances from the past. Should we allow plundered artefacts to rest where they lie ‿ often residing there by the imbalances of history? This book asks whether we are entering a new 'restitution paradigm', one that could have an indelible impact on the cultural sector - and the rest of the world - for many years to come. It provides essential reading for all those working in the art and museum worlds and beyond.

In just half a century of growth, the art fair industry has transformed the art market. Now, for the first time, art market journalist Melanie Gerlis tells the story of art fairs' rapid ascent and reflects on their uncertain future. From the first post-war European art fairs built on the imperial 19th-century model of the International Exhibitions, to the global art fairs of the 21st century and their new online manifestations, it's a tale of many twists and turns. The book brings to life the people, places and philosophies that enabled art fairs to take root, examines the pivotal market periods when they flourished, and maps where they might go in a much-changed world.Â

The Rise and Rise of the Private Art Museum critically examines the growth of private museums in the 21st century, their impact on public institutions and what the future might look like. It is essential reading for museum professionals, art collectors, critics and cultural commentators and anyone working in the art trade.