Stefan Simchowitz controversy escalates with anti-Semitism insinuations in art market debate
In February 2014, Katya Kazakina of Bloomberg.com referred to collector Stefan Simchowitz as 'Public Enemy No 1,' condemning him as an 'art flipper' and sparking widespread discussion. Jerry Saltz offered a rebuttal in New York Magazine, while Kenny Schachter defended Simchowitz in the New York Observer, referencing historical examples. On April 3, 2014, Marion Maneker gathered insights under the title 'L'Affaire Simchowitz,' drawing parallels to the Dreyfus affair and themes of anti-Semitism. The following day, Simchowitz posted a quote from Werner Sombart's 1911 work on Facebook, suggesting that Jewish practices were seen as unethical, and hinted that the criticism he faced regarding the art market was rooted in anti-Semitism. An article in ArtReview, published in May 2014, delves into the connections between art, finance, and identity.
Key facts
- Stefan Simchowitz was labeled 'Public Enemy No 1' in a February 2014 Bloomberg.com article by Katya Kazakina
- Jerry Saltz criticized Simchowitz in New York Magazine's Vulture blog after an Artspace.com interview with Andrew Goldstein
- Kenny Schachter defended Simchowitz in the New York Observer's Gallerist blog
- Marion Maneker published a roundup titled 'L'Affaire Simchowitz' on Art Market Monitor on April 3, 2014
- Simchowitz posted a quote from Werner Sombart's work on Facebook on April 4, 2014
- Werner Sombart's 1911 book 'The Jews and Modern Capitalism' was referenced in the quote
- Sombart's work responded to Max Weber's 'The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism' from 1905
- The article was first published in the May 2014 issue of ArtReview
Entities
Artists
- Stefan Simchowitz
- Katya Kazakina
- Jerry Saltz
- Andrew Goldstein
- Kenny Schachter
- Marion Maneker
- Marcel Duchamp
- Werner Sombart
- Max Weber
Institutions
- Bloomberg.com
- Artspace.com
- New York Magazine
- Vulture
- New York Observer
- Gallerist
- Art Market Monitor
- Wikipedia
- ArtReview