Situating Spirituality in the Contemporary Art Market: From Cultural Essence to Experiential Engagement and Strategic Innovation
Chengze Wu
Art Market Studies
About this Item
- Title
- Situating Spirituality in the Contemporary Art Market: From Cultural Essence to Experiential Engagement and Strategic Innovation
- Alternative title: 当代艺术市场中的灵性定位： 从文化本质到体验式参与与战略创新
- Contributor Names
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Wu, Chengze (Author)
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Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York. Art Market Studies (Degree granting institution)
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Melton, Paul (Thesis advisor)
- Date
- 2025
- Degree Information
- MA Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York 2025
- Department: Art Market Studies
- Advisor: Paul Melton
- Committee member: Natasha Degen
- Abstract
- This thesis consists of a case study (Part 1) and a business plan (Part 2), examining the structural marginalization of religious art and sacred arts within the contemporary art market. The case study analyzes how secular critical norms, limited audience bases, fragile funding models, and the dominance of commercial aesthetics collectively undermine the visibility and long-term viability of spiritually grounded art institutions. Although religious and sacred art possess significant cultural, philosophical, and spiritual value, they remain disadvantaged within a profit-driven art ecosystem.To address these systemic challenges, the business plan proposes a development model for Three Mountains Gallery in partnership with the Taoist Association of New York, positioning Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) as the central strategy for cultural engagement and community formation. As contemporary audiences increasingly seek emotionally resonant, contemplative, and spiritually oriented art experiences, ICH provides an accessible entry point for broadening participation. Through collaborations with ICH artists and related cultural programming, the project aims to cultivate a stable cultural community and establish diversified revenue streams, ultimately creating a sustainable framework through which religious and sacred art can regain relevance and agency within the broader cultural landscape.
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Abstract (Chinese)
本论文由两个部分组成：案例研究（第一部分）与商业计划（第二部分），旨在探讨宗教艺术与神圣艺术在当代艺术市场中所面临的结构性边缘化问题。案例研究分析了世俗化的批评规范、受众基础的局限性、脆弱的资金模式，以及商业审美的主导地位，如何共同削弱以灵性为根基的艺术机构在当代艺术体系中的可见度与长期生存能力。尽管宗教艺术与神圣艺术在文化、哲学与精神层面具有重要价值，但在以利润为导向的艺术生态系统中，它们依然处于不利地位。
针对上述系统性挑战，商业计划部分提出了一个由 Three Mountains Gallery 与 纽约道教协会 合作的发展模式，并将非物质文化遗产（Intangible Cultural Heritage, ICH）定位为文化参与与社区构建的核心战略。随着当代观众愈发渴望具有情感共鸣、沉思性与精神指向的艺术体验，ICH 为拓展公众参与提供了一个更为可进入、可理解的切入点。
通过与非物质文化遗产艺术家的合作及相关文化项目的策划，本项目旨在培育一个稳定的文化社区，并建立多元化的收入结构，最终构建一个可持续的发展框架，使宗教艺术与神圣艺术能够在更广泛的文化语境中重新获得其相关性与主体性。 - Keyword
- Cultural resources management
- Religion
- Art history
- Cultural sustainability
- Intangible Cultural Heritage
- Religious art
- Sacred art
- Spirituality
- Taoism
- Rights
- In Copyright
- The copyright for this work is held by its author/creator(s). Usage of this material beyond what is permitted by copyright law must first be cleared with the rights-holder(s). This work has been made available online by the Fashion Institute of Technology Gladys Marcus Library strictly for research and educational purposes. If you are the copyright holder for this work and have any objections to this work being made available online, please notify us immediately at [email protected].
- This item must not be sold to any third party vendors.
- Identifier
- FIT Repository ID: etd_001048
- Submission ID: 10477
- URN: ISBN:9798273346369
- Related Materials
- Also available from ProQuest
- Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 87-07
- Masters Abstracts International
- Language
- English
- Publisher
- Ann Arbor : ProQuest Dissertations & Theses,
Citation
Wu, C. (2025). Situating Spirituality in the Contemporary Art Market: From Cultural Essence to Experiential Engagement and Strategic Innovation [Master's thesis, Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York]. FIT Institutional Repository. https://institutionalrepository.fitnyc.edu/item/669404
Wu, Chengze. Situating Spirituality in the Contemporary Art Market: From Cultural Essence to Experiential Engagement and Strategic Innovation. 2025. Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York, Master's thesis. FIT Digital Repository, https://institutionalrepository.fitnyc.edu/item/669404
Wu, Chengze. "Situating Spirituality in the Contemporary Art Market: From Cultural Essence to Experiential Engagement and Strategic Innovation." Master's thesis, Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York, 2025. https://institutionalrepository.fitnyc.edu/item/669404