Thirteenth International Conference on The Inclusive Museum

Abstract

Study after study, indicates that the current art world is undemocratic and unequal and shows a lack of diversity with museums being predominantly white and overwhelmingly male. Centralization of power in the hands of a few players, gender bias, racial discrimination, corruption, traffic of influence, and other hidden variables are all contributing factors that hold back museums from being inclusive equitable organizations and hinder the growth of the art world. This paper sheds light on the current challenges in the art word and offers museums and other art institutions a new way to measure the value of art through the Pure Taste Indicator (PTI). The PTI is a new economic model for the art world, created by the Organization for the Democratization of Visual Arts. This reference model is based on participatory economics, demarchy, and referendums, allowing it to represent the taste and knowledge of all art world participants composed of artists, art world professionals and art lovers. By dismantling the hierarchical power structures that characterized art for so long, the PTI mechanism can change how the art ecosystem functions and help museums minimize inequality. This grassroots initiative aims to help museums respond to the demand to be more inclusive, to support women artists and artists of color, and implicate a larger number of individuals in decisions pertaining to contemporary art. The PTI proposed by ODBK lets art transcend its monetary value, so that its value resides in its quality which is defined by all art world participants.