Pierre-Michel Menger analyzes artist competition and inequality

In an interview with artpress, sociologist Pierre-Michel Menger examines the competitive dynamics and inequalities of the art world. He argues that artistic creation is based on differentiation through originality, establishing horizontal competition that later pivots into vertical hierarchies of value and price. Menger compares this intensity to sports and science, noting tournaments, prizes, and rankings that structure careers. He highlights three key data points from international surveys: high inequality and variability of artists' incomes, a large proportion earning low or negative income from their art, and frequent reliance on multiple income sources. The income distribution follows Pareto's law (20% of actors concentrate 80% of revenues), driven by structural oversupply. Menger rejects the notion of the irrational artist, proposing instead a 'Bayesian rationality' where artists learn and revise strategies through experience and feedback. The interview is part of a series on the artist, collector, and institution. Menger is a professor at the Collège de France, chair of Sociology of Creative Work, and author of 'Le Travail créateur' and other works.