This thesis revisits the 1988 Sotheby’s auction in Moscow, an event that catalyzed the commercialization of the Soviet art market. For the first time in history, unofficial art, previously outlawed...Show moreThis thesis revisits the 1988 Sotheby’s auction in Moscow, an event that catalyzed the commercialization of the Soviet art market. For the first time in history, unofficial art, previously outlawed by the Soviet state, was auctioned off to predominantly Western buyers. While scholars have assessed the role of the auction in transforming the Soviet art market, none have contemplated the perceptions of commercialization from the perspective of the media. Additionally, pre-existing literature lacks application of cultural theory. Therefore, this thesis departs from previous works by assessing Western and Soviet news coverage of the event. Based on the conclusions drawn from this analysis, Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of symbolic capital is applied in order to understand the ‘re-shuffling of artistic hierarchies.’ By drawing on media- and theory-focused lenses, this thesis aims to contribute to the discussion on the nature of commercialization in the Soviet Union prior to its collapse, as well as invite a more careful reading on the effects of commercialization on Soviet artistic production.Show less
