Prosumption in Art

Extending recent seminal studies on the emerging phenomenon of prosumption, this article analyzes the process of prosumption in art, which has been relatively neglected in the discussion. What was the history of prosumption in art before the rise of its awareness in the digital age? What characteristics of prosumption have emerged in the art world in the past two decades or so? What are the implications of the rise of prosumption in art for sociological studies of art? I argue that although the social constructionist view of art presented by sociologists, on the processes of both production and consumption, has significantly contributed to understanding art as a social and collective activity, contemporary art practice and theory have taken these sociological arguments into account and moved closer to the understanding of art as a social activity. Hence, reflections on possible implications of the rise of prosumption for existing sociological studies of art are needed.