Explaining the Indicators Influencing the Globalization of Art and Visual Artists Using the Delphi Model

Abstract

The manifestation of painters’ ideas through one or a collection of artworks on a global scale—and the pursuit of universal recognition and access to international art platforms—is not only one of the primary concerns of emerging local artists, but also a significant area of interest for many art critics and theorists. These stakeholders aim to analyze the reasons and mechanisms behind the emergence of globally recognized art and artists. Achieving this prestigious position and securing a lasting legacy in the history of world art requires adequate awareness and understanding of global art as both universal art and international art. This article seeks to answer the question: What indicators have contributed to the emergence and decline of the globalization of art and visual artists? To address this, multiple indicators were identified and defined based on prior research in the field of global art. Given the significance of the findings—over seventy indicators were extracted—the study focused on the influential factors contributing to the globalization of visual art and artists. A genealogical analysis of the indicators influencing global art revealed the intellectual contexts in which these indicators emerged and the consequences they have had for the field of art. By distinguishing key indicators such as cultural identity, attention to the content of the artwork, aesthetic value, communication strategies, worldview and ideology of the artist, the curators’ role in accurately positioning artworks, and the role of critics in organizing international exhibitions, it becomes possible to evaluate the dimensions of this phenomenon in the contemporary era and understand the conditions enabling or restricting its globalization. The findings of the present study emphasize that the globalization of Iranian painters does not necessarily depend on abandoning cultural identity or conforming to international art norms such as creating purely formalist works. Rather, it is possible to create globally-oriented paintings by focusing on the extracted indicators—such as cultural identity, content-oriented creation, communication strategies, and more.