The refracted portrait of the artist: The cultural reproduction of artist attributes through the Venice Film Festival

Abstract

Research has shown how ‘cultural consecration’ grants economic and symbolic benefits to cultural producers and their creations. Yet few studies adopting this approach have explored the content of these creations themselves. Consecration is a contagious process, and culturally consecrated objects also consecrate the representations contained within. Drawing on insights from the sociology of culture and art history, this study qualitatively analyses and illustrates the reproduction of three social roles of ‘the artist’ in biopics nominated for the Venice Film Festival’s Golden Lion Award since the year 2000. Focusing on representations of prominent artists who themselves are consecrated in both popular and artistic circles, this article shows how social characteristics of artists – individual exceptionalism, social separation and artistic autonomy – are reproduced through the medium of consecrated film. It concludes by considering the practical implications of such reproductions and avenues for future research on the consecration of cultural content.