Overview

This intensive course offers students the opportunity to develop an understanding of avenues for success in the online art world. It will offer an introduction to key players and systems that operate in the current online ecosystem for contemporary art. Each day addresses a certain vital component of the online contemporary art world, and the type of businesses that operate within it.

Students will leave the intensive programme with a thorough understanding of how various online businesses function independently, and in conjunction with others. The course will conclude with a description of the most recent developments in the online contemporary art marketplace, including new business models and blockchain related/ Web 3 businesses; providing insights for potential career paths in the online art world – both as a tool that relates to the sale of physical goods and services and virtual product offerings. 

Academic Profile

Nico Epstein is a curator, art historian and art advisor with a career-long involvement in art tech. He is the co-founder of arbulu studio a Lisbon based art consultancy. He has worked in the online art space for the past 15 years an currently serves as a curatorial advisor for Verse. Epstein also acts as a consultant for Frieze, organizing bespoke tours for their VIP clients. He has lectured on contemporary art and its markets at Bocconi, The Courtauld, and University College London among other leading universities. His most recent book, an analysis of Susan Sontag's 'On Photography', was published on Routledge in 2018. His last course at Christie's Education was 'New Dynamics: The Digital Contemporary Art World'.

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Schedule

Day 1: Overview 

We will begin by discussing the first online art sales platforms and the motivations behind their founding and the timeline in which they came into existence. Offering the base for the weeks ahead, this class will provide a descriptive orientation of the various businesses that operate in the online art world. It will discuss, among other operators:  

This class will also, for the first time, include a discussion on:  

Students will leave this class with an understanding of the fundamentals of the online art world. The course will expose various online businesses and a clearer idea of how these businesses contribute to the online market for contemporary art before delving into specifics for various verticals within the sector. 

Day 2: Online Infrastructures for Galleries, Auction Houses and Art Fairs 

This class will cover how traditional brick-and-mortar contemporary art businesses implement online technology in order to expand their artists’ market and build their sales network. Examples will include web-development platforms such as exhibit-E that focus on commercial gallery websites; subscription-based listing models such as artsy, and e-commerce solutions that have been developed for auction houses. These include standalone online sales, and relevant partnerships between auction houses and online platforms.  

This updated version of the class will discuss how galleries will have to use online platforms in order to survive the pandemic and its aftereffects and the implications of this.  

Since Christie’s as an auction house was already covered in the previous class, a more heavy emphasis will be placed on galleries and art fairs and their online infrastructures. 

Topics discussed during this lecture will include:

For Galleries 

For Auction Houses 

For fairs 

Day 3: Start-Up Fundamentals 

This class is designed to teach students the key tools that are required for creating an online contemporary art startup from scratch. It will highlight various early stage startups as examples. The two start ups I have helped build will be used as specific case-studies. Real life examples and affiliated companies will be described and cited. Piero will once again feature, I am happy to also bring in another speaker who has their own online art startup 

Fundamentals that are covered:  

Day 4: Future Movements 

The course culminates in a class that discusses the future directions of the online contemporary art world. 

Subjects include:  

Students will be provided with a recap of the covered material, leaving the course with a deeper understanding of the online contemporary art world, and an insight into potential career paths. 

Additional Information

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About Livestream Courses

All virtual courses are delivered over Zoom with high quality sound & video. There will be an interactive Q & A with the academic as well as time for a group discussion through the lecture.

Recordings will be available to watch with unlimited playback for 14 days. Registrants will receive the viewing link following the class.

Contact us

For any queries about this course please contact

London Courses Department

+44(0)7824474719

Email: shortcoursesuk@christies.com