'Thought provoking.' Richard Morrison, The Times
Within forty-eight hours in the autumn of 2014, buyers in the Sotheby's and Christie's New York auction houses spent $1.7 billion on contemporary art. In The Orange Balloon Dog, economist and bestselling author Don Thompson cites this and other fascinating examples to explore the sometimes baffling activities of the high-end contemporary art market. He examines what is at play in the exchange of vast amounts of money and what nudges buyers, even on the subconscious level, to imbue a creation with such high commercial value. Thompson analyses the behaviours of buyers and sellers and delves into the competitions that define and alter the value of art in today's international market, from New York to London, Singapore to Beijing. Take heed if your fortunes are tied up in stainless steel balloon dogs – Thompson also warns of a looming bust of the contemporary art price balloon.