Art in the time of recession

What insiders wish for is a revival of interest in contemporary artists and their work; many who made a name for themselves before the 2008 crash have still to recover

No one is using the R word but everyone’s hinting at a recession, while the Hon’ble Finance Minister is talking of a recovery. What everyone is in agreement  with is a lacklustre market measured in automobile sales (finally going up, again), online discount bonanzas, and festive-season feel-good buys. There is a glumness in the market, a weak sentiment, almost an emotional infirmity that seems to have restrained people from going out to splurge on things they don’t need — such as second homes, bespoke couture, and high street brands. So — art?

In a market where art has remained a slow