What is artwashing? An essay on art, luxury and merchandise in the twenty-first century

Recent debates in sociology have pointed to the emergence of new forms of capitalism capable of commodifying even the most resistant dimensions – the art, the affection – in their relentless pursuit of profit. A question that can be better understood when analysing certain markets, the relationship between the economy and cultural and artistic goods is well delineated in the contemporary luxury fashion industry. Using methods from sociology and anthropology to think about issues such as the role of artists in this sector, the function of art in flagships and its effects on consumption, this article qualifies the term, ‘artwashing’, a phenomenon characterized by the use of traditional resources from the art world to reinvent the way the luxury industry is perceived by both consumer society and its clientele.