The "Grand Tour 1997" The 47th Venice Biennale, documenta X, and Art 28'97 A historical overview and market analysis

The main objective of this thesis is to examine the intersections between exhibition practices and the art market during the Grand Tour of 1997, when three major exhibitions took place in the same year: the 47th Venice Biennale, documenta X in Germany, and Art 28’97 in Switzerland. First, the historical and institutional contexts of each event, including curatorial concepts and market dynamics, were investigated. A comparative analysis then focused on the interaction between exhibitions and the art market at two levels: artists and galleries represented both in the 1997 Venice Biennale and Art 28’97, those present at documenta X and Art 28’97. For the analysis of the impact of these events on the artists’ post-1997 Venice Biennale or -documenta X activities and sales two datasets on the auction prices and the participations in the group and solo exhibitions were constructed. Based on these data, an econometric analysis was performed to verify the so-called Venice effect. In addition, the role and strategies of galleries as mediators of artistic production and circulation were examined, and the third dataset was compiled. The galleries that participated in Art 28’97 were invited to answer a semi-structured questionnaire. Then, their responses were analysed and systematised. By juxtaposing these three exhibitions, the thesis aims to illuminate the impact of the main art exhibitions 1997 on the globalisation of the contemporary art world.