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Arts & Communication

ARTICLE
Transnational mobility, art markets, and the

city: An analysis of the role of hypermobile
creative professionals in the emergence of new

artistic centers

Jeremie Molho*
Canada Excellence Chair in Migration and Integration, Toronto Metropolitan University,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Re-globalization: Practices from the Art Market)

Abstract

The emergence of new regional art markets has increasingly challenged the
traditional dominance of Western Europe and North America over the last two
decades. Cities such as Dubai, Singapore, and Hong Kong have become significant
hubs that house global auction houses and contemporary museums, and host
major art events. This study examines how hypermobile creative professionals
function in the growth of these emerging art centers. It purposes to elucidate
*Corresponding author: how the transnational mobility of these professionals influences the geographical
Jeremie Molho dynamics of the global art market. The study’s methodology entailed qualitative
(jeremie.molho@torontomu.ca) fieldwork conducted in Istanbul, Doha, Singapore, and Hong Kong, along with
Citation: Molho J. Transnational in-depth interviews with wide-ranging actors in the art worlds of these cities,
mobility, art markets, and the including artists, curators, dealers, and collectors. The study’s findings reveal that
city: An analysis of the role of
hypermobile creative professionals these actors contribute to the construction of the reputations of these metropolises
in the emergence of new artistic emerging as art hubs by voting with their feet for the next upcoming art center and
centers. Arts & Communication. actively engaging in the transformation of the local art markets. This study attracts
2025;3(3):3734.
doi: 10.36922/ac.3734 attention to the ways in which the regulation of human mobility affects the journeys
and practices of art professionals. In so doing, it proposes a novel lens through
Received: May 22, 2024 which to apprehend the ongoing disparities in the global art market and grasp how
Revised: August 30, 2024 historical hegemonies persist amidst continuous calls for more expansive diversity
Accepted: November 11, 2024 and inclusivity in the art world.
Published online: December 9,
2024 Keywords: Human mobility; Art markets; Emerging art centers; Hypermobile
Copyright: © 2024 Author(s). professionals; Global art world; Istanbul; Doha; Hong Kong; Singapore
This is an Open-Access article
distributed under the terms
of the Creative Commons
AttributionNoncommercial License,
permitting all non-commercial use, 1. Introduction
distribution, and reproduction in any
medium, provided the original work Human mobility has functioned pivotally throughout the history of art markets,
is properly cited. facilitating the circulation of artworks and ideas and fostering artistic innovation.
1,2
Publisher’s Note: AccScience Mobility has consistently constituted a catalyst for artistic development, from the
Publishing remains neutral with merchants at medieval fairs who enabled the exchange of artistic goods and concepts to
regard to jurisdictional claims in 3,4
published maps and institutional the itinerant Renaissance artists who integrated new influences from diverse regions.
th
affiliations. For instance, the migration of artists from Antwerp to Amsterdam in the late 16 and

Volume 3 Issue 3 (2025) 1 doi: 10.36922/ac.3734