Art and Cultural Worlds

The seminal sociologist and exponent of the Chicago school of interactionists, Howard S. Becker, frames an art world as a “network of people whose cooperative activity, organized via their joint knowledge of conventional means of doing things, produces the kind of art works that (the) art world is noted for” (1982, x). Hence, the analysis of art and cultural worlds proposed by Becker provides a framework that avoids considering the aesthetic value of cultural objects and instead systematically explores the implications of art as a collective activity that takes place within art worlds. Becker's framework is an approach that does not distinguish between high and popular culture but rather is applied to all forms of culture. His framework stands in marked contrast to conventional analyses of art and cultural worlds that are driven by the output of leading artists, and it is also distinct from such frameworks as Max Horkheimer and Theodor Adorno's culture industry thesis, which are grounded in a conceptualization of aesthetics.

An art world includes a broad range of activities; for example, when considering a symphony orchestra concert, Becker examines not just the performance on the night but the wider range of precursory activities, such as the invention, manufacture, and maintenance of the musical instruments; the devising, composing, teaching, and learning of notated music; the various rehearsals that had to be organized; the advertisements for the event; and so forth. Becker argues that art worlds integrate artistic production and consumption into institutional practices, and it is within these frameworks that aesthetic judgment takes place. Hence the question of whether or not an object can be regarded as a work of art is determined by the degree to which it is accepted as such by recognized art world gatekeepers; so, for example, if a piece is exhibited in a leading gallery and reviewed in leading art magazines, then it may be regarded as part of the art world. By contrast, alternative forms of art, for example what Becker refers to as naive artists, such as country women who make quilts for county fairs, may well be excluded from the same art world. Therefore, a work of art exists inasmuch as an art world is able to recognize it as such, rather than in any inherent aspect of the work itself. In this way, Becker's conceptualization deliberately avoids aesthetic judgments but rather treats the production of art as a form of work with a specific type of occupational culture and hence considers the content of culture within the context of its social circumstances of its production.

An art world creates institutional limitations and an expectation that all artistic work will conform to its conventions, especially when substantial expenditure is required. As Becker (1991) argues, this creates different categories of artists that can be understood in terms of how they negotiate these limitations. Integrated artists who work within the constraints and limitations of their field are the most commercially successful, although they are also most likely to be regarded by their peers as hacks. Maverick artists produce art outside of the conventions and norms of an art world without the benefit of normal support; [Page 66]they have greater scope for innovation and distinction. Becker indicates that their chances of obtaining distinction are exceedingly small, although they typically struggle to produce work that is financially viable.

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