Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Art Business

Abstract

This dissertation examines the mechanisms of institutional legitimation in the Portuguese art market, with main emphasis on museums, curatorial practices, media mediation and the ever-changing role of public participation. Drawing field theory (Bourdieu), art world sociology (Becker) and recent studies of media and symbolic capital, it positions Portugal as a ‘semi-peripheral’ market in which institutional framing and international infrastructures play a critical role in establishing value and reputation. The literature review shows that legitimacy is collectively produced by a constellation of actors, narratives and conventions, rather than solely by the intrinsic properties of artworks or straightforward market demand.

Through a mixed methods approach, the research combines a survey and interviews that evaluate public perceptions with the analysis of interviews of art world participants, media coverage and institutional documents. This analysis explores the impact of mediation, co-creation and immersive experiences on public trust in cultural institutions and further construction of artistic value. The survey measures pattern of scepticism mapping how boundary work (‘But is this art?’) shapes the reception and symbolic status of artists.

The case studies of Joana Vasconcelos and Pedro Cabrita Reis offer contrasting trajectories through the art market: Vasconcelos with her often described ‘kitsch’ work and her international institutionalisation; Cabrita with his conceptual rigor and his reliance on curatorial mediation for legitimisation and legibility. The comparison between both evidences how public scepticism and divergent artistic grammars are negotiated between institution and converted, with varying effectiveness, into sustainable recognition.

By integrating empirical data, theoretical analysis and case study, this dissertation elucidates the contingent, performative nature of legitimacy in the Portuguese context. It argues for greater transparency, inclusion and responsiveness in institutional mediation and concludes by proposing recommendations to strengthen the role of museums and cultural infrastructures in building sustainable reputations for contemporary artists.

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