Class, Meritocracy, and the Elite Capture of Art

An anonymous critic's essay contends that the current art world has been appropriated by the elite, serving as a 'wealth ghetto' that marginalizes both working-class and middle-class people. Utilizing Pierre Bourdieu's idea of 'sensibility' to illustrate how class hierarchies are upheld, the writer shares personal anecdotes from their time at art school in Vancouver and their present experiences in Berlin, where class bias remains despite efforts against discrimination. The essay highlights findings from studies such as PANIC! (2018) and Diversity Arts Culture reports, revealing that merely 9% of applicants to the Vienna Art Academy hail from low-income families. Referencing Andrea Fraser's 2011 piece 'L'1% c'est moi' and Olúfémi O. Táíwò's 2022 work 'Elite Capture', it emphasizes that true transformation necessitates the dismantling of neoliberal capitalism to create an art world free from socioeconomic influence. Ken Lum and Maria Fusco's insights on class identity are also included.