The boundaries of autonomy of contemporary art criticism in the context of the art market

The subject of this study is contemporary art criticism as a specific institution of the artistic and cultural process, functioning within the conditions of a market economy and institutional transformations. The focus is on the interrelationship between criticism and the art market, specifically the mechanisms through which critical discourse ceases to be solely an interpretation or aesthetic evaluation of a work of art and transforms into a tool for market promotion, legitimation, and the formation of symbolic capital. The research centers on the boundaries of the autonomy of art criticism, its dependence on institutions, media, and market structures, as well as the changing role of criticism in a situation of cultural pluralism, where universal aesthetic criteria lose significance in favor of multiple, situational, and market-based strategies for evaluating art. The methodology of the study is based on an interdisciplinary approach, including comparative analysis, Pierre Bourdieu’s institutional theory, elements of cultural and art historical analysis, as well as a discursive method for studying the functions and transformations of contemporary art criticism in the context of the art market. The scientific novelty of the research lies in clarifying the institutional status of art criticism, which is regarded not only as a form of humanitarian knowledge and aesthetic reflection but also as a structural element of the contemporary art market. The study identifies the features of the transformation of its functions under conditions of cultural pluralism and market pressure: from normative-evaluative and interpretative activities to fulfilling tasks of legitimizing artistic practices and converting cultural capital into symbolic capital. It is shown that critical discourse loses its universal normative tools and becomes embedded within the system of market and institutional mechanisms, functioning as part of the infrastructure of the art business. The conclusion is made that while the functional orientation of art criticism changes, it retains significance as a mediator between the artist, institutions, and the audience, influencing both the processes of forming artistic values and their market capitalization.