Cultural consecration in contemporary visual art: a frame approach to artists, artworks, exhibition and communication styles

Cultural consecration refers to the process through which artists gain symbolic recognition and legitimacy, and it can be achieved when an artist receives a prestigious award. This study analyzed the unique features of artists, artworks, exhibitions, and communication styles that may lead to award-winning performances in a country. Three countries were selected to compare the features of award winners in each country. Simone Leigh, Evgeny Antufiev, and Jewyo Rhii, who were the winners of the Hugo Boss Prize in the US, the Kandinsky Prize in Russia, and the Korea Artist Prize in South Korea in 2018 − 2019, respectively, were selected and examined. While previous studies have focused mainly on Western institutions or market-driven legitimation models, there is a lack of comparative, cross-national analysis of how different socio-cultural contexts influence consecration. This study addresses this gap. We argue that the frame approach can explain different consecration processes in different countries to determine representative award winners. This study seeks to broaden the exploration of cultural consecration by examining the multifaceted factors that influence it and delving into the evolving processes of cultural consecration in the art world.