Howard S. Becker, 1928-2023.

A friend of a friend of a friend who heard it from a friend told this story about a friend, a musician who was a cab driver. Businessman gets into the cab and anyhow they start to chat. Businessman tells my friend he’s an insurance executive.

“Hey, wow! Charles Ives was an insurance executive!

— Charles Ives! We still use his charts! One of the greats!

— But you know, he was also a composer…

— What! A composer?!!!”

Howard S. Becker has died. A sociologist. But you know, he wrote one of the most influential books about the Art World, titled Art Worlds.

“The Art World! Arthur Danto! ‘An atmosphere of art theory!’ Art as a philosophical enterprise!

— No. Art Worlds, accurately described by the publisher as a ‘classic sociological examination of art as collective action [that] explores the cooperative network of suppliers, performers, dealers, critics, and consumers who—along with the artist—’produce’ a work of art.’

— What! A sociologist?!!!”

WOID XXIII-25

August 17, 2023