This book investigates the transformation of contemporary art into a globalized commodity driven by market forces, corporate interests, and institutional power. Julian Stallabrass, an art historian and critic, utilizes a materialist framework to analyze how the art world functions as a subset of the broader capitalist economy. He examines the tension between artistic autonomy and the pressures of commercial success, arguing that the contemporary art scene is deeply embedded in the structures of neoliberalism.

Critics and scholars frequently cite this work for its rigorous critique of the art industry's economic underpinnings. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which assumes a familiarity with Marxist theory and contemporary art history.