American Art, the peer-reviewed journal co-published by the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the University of Chicago Press, invites historians of American art to answer the question, “What do we talk about when we talk about economics, money, and the art market?” In the spirit of the October Visual Culture questionnaire, replies may address any or all of the following questions and should take the form of brief position papers rather than intensive case studies. In the historiography of American art history, what shifts have we seen in ways of thinking about artistic production, the art market, and the visual cultures of economics? When we study financial systems, institutions, instruments, and objects, do we examine them in relation to economic power and social class, or in relation to other social phenomena, and why? To what extent have economic forces such as the art market and institutional funding shaped the field of American art, whether in terms of the objects and inquiries we pursue and neglect, or with regard to the vocabulary we use and avoid?
For consideration, submit abstracts of 250–500 words by February 1, 2018. The organizers, John Ott, professor of art history at James Madison University, and Robin Veder, executive editor of American Art at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, will review submissions and encourage selected authors to submit full manuscripts for further consideration. These should be 1,500–2,500 words including endnotes, with 1 to 4 images, and will be due by September 1, 2018. The journal will evaluate the manuscripts and select some for publication in a 2019 issue of American Art. Accepted authors will workshop the manuscripts together before final revision. Submit abstracts to americanartjournal@si.edu. For other inquiries, contact John Ott at ottjw@jmu.edu.