Coercion from autonomization: how (art) market platforms necessitate participation via a fear of not being recognized

Abstract This ethnographic investigation of international art fairs (IAFs) uncovers a logic of participation that extends theory on cultural markets and platforms. In addition to a logic of participation based on opportunity (for increasing sales), gallerists are driven by a logic of necessity to participate in prominent “curatorial” IAFs even though the fairs are organized and attended by autonomous market agents who have many options for accessing the art market (i.e., there are multi-homing opportunities). The underlying principle is that a player in a field will be motivated to participate in a platform insofar as the platform induces a strong “fear of not being recognized” (FNBR) by key audiences—in particular, other members in the upper status tier of a restricted field. This FNBR principle explains our article’s puzzle, providing clarity on the role of such logics of necessity that can be observed at play across social, cultural, and economic domains.