The $12 Million Stuffed Shark

The Curious Economics of Contemporary Art

Why would a smart New York investment banker pay twelve million dollars for the decaying, stuffed carcass of a shark?

'Fabulous and entertaining guide to the craziness that is the contemporary art world.' 

'An incredibly rich, insightful piece of non-fiction that addresses the vast majority of questions you would ask yourself as a contemporary art enthusiast.' 

Understand the curious economics of contemporary art. 

Why would a smart New York investment banker pay twelve million dollars for the decaying, stuffed carcass of a shark? By what alchemy does Jackson Pollock’ s drip painting No.5 1948 sell for $140 million? This book sheds light on the modern art world and the marketing strategies that power the market to produce such astronomical prices; the money, lust and self-aggrandizement. 

Drawing on interviews with past and present executives of auction houses and art dealerships, artists and the buyers who move the market, Don Thompson launches us on a journey of discovery through the peculiar world of modern art to reveal the source of Charles Saatchi’s Midas touch, how far a gallery like White Cube has contributed to Damien Hirst becoming one of the highest-earning artists in the world, and much, much more .

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