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In this digital age, declarations surface of the death of the expert and the democratization of information. Crowd wisdom is seen as the new guide in constructing and evaluating knowledge. In the context of the art world, this tension between the amateurs and the experts becomes particularly pronounced as popular meets high culture. Questions arise such as: what is the role of the expert in the evaluation of art in contemporary times? Do social media dismantle age-old hierarchies and established priesthoods in the art world? And can we assume that mass participation in valuation results in better judgments? This article addresses such popular notions of participation and expertise concerning social media in the art world through a historical lens by re-examining and positioning art experts from past to present. Particularly, characteristics of intermediaries in the art market are examined closely regarding their strategies in knowledge production and the establishment of expertise. This historical situatedness enables us to move beyond the hype of new media expectations, generating more appropriate avenues of investigation to better grasp possible changes amongst actors within the contemporary art world. This examination is not just theoretically relevant but practically so, given current pressures on art institutions to embrace and reach out to new audiences online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information on the allegorical tactics in contemporary art. It cites that Estonian art is considered as contemporary art and also called as Generation X or Generation E art. It explores on the working principles used by artists like Hanno Soans and Marko Laimre. Estonian art was popular in 1990s because of its allegoric style. The article examines on how artists have used allegory differently in their masterpieces which are based from historical events. It also discusses the relationship between allegory and history.

The article focuses on Japanese visual artist Takashi Murakami. It discusses the originality of his work, reflects on his depiction of the culture of consumption and mass production, and explores how his work challenges the separation between high art and popular culture. It also comments on a retrospective of his work presented at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, California.