Sarah Thornton: Seven Days in the Art World was on the Canadian non-fiction bestseller list for four weeks, so Canadians must have heard about the book somehow. Does this say anything about the status of contemporary art in Canada? Lau: So far, there has been not much Canadian press for your book. Earlier this winter, she answered questions about her book from Canadian Art contributor Charlene K. Thornton speaks in Toronto at the Art Gallery of Ontario on April 15, and then in Vancouver at Vancity Theatre on April 18. The book, Seven Days in the Art World, is based on first-hand involvement that takes readers inside auctions, crits, art fairs, prizes, magazines, studio visits and biennales. You can obtain a copy at Amazon, and you can find out more about the author on her own website.Sarah Thornton, a Canadian sociologist and writer based in London, UK, is the author of a recent book on contemporary art that’s making waves for its observant distillation of today’s art scene.

That unique overview could perhaps only be offered by Sarah Thornton, because she is journalist with a degree in art history and a PhD in sociology. In conclusion, Seven Days in The Art World is an excellent read for anyone who wants to see the world of art in helicopter view. Instead, the author has listened and interviewed each person with respect, tact and situation awareness. That is a balancing act, because all the portrayed key players in the book, have neither been revered nor ridiculed as individuals. In addition, it hints at the indirect and idiosyncratic vernacular in art, whilst at the same time, it exposes hype. The book is insightful, and captures the rôles and professions in art with copious amounts of dry wit. Here, you enter the Auction House, the art school ‘crit session’, the fair, The Turner Prize, the hearts and minds of Artforum editorial staff, the artist studio visit, and the Venice Biennale. The book consists of chapters, which glide into each other as if they were 7 full days and nights. Today the art world is still subject to the same dynamics, and the market is full of the same characters, which alone suggests that the book has something worthwhile to say for many years to come. The book was written not so long ago when the art market was booming, when art fetched astronomical prices, and when art reached a near religious status. It is immersive as if you have just landed on the art venue, standing right next to the author, and the person she is talking to. The prose is refreshingly non-academic for an otherwise academic person. Sarah Thornton, is the author behind one of the better docu-soap introductions to the art world that you can find.

Seven days in the art world book