Freeport as a Hub in the Art Market: Shanghai Art Freeport

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The topic is very relevant in the art markets field, as it demonstrates the growing volume of transactions and its impact on the global art ecosystem. It contributes, underling an understudied topic as art freeport, using Shanghai as a case study.

 

Still, the author could improve the analysis, particularly by avoiding common sentences that diminish the scientific nature of the article. For example, in the introduction, the author points out that “the volume of transactions is incalculable” (line 22). The idea of ‘incalculable’ must be put into perspective because it suggests a parallel economy and the lack of transparency in the art market. If this is the case, the author should mention it, pointing to the bibliographical reference to consolidate its argument.

 

In Line 40, I suggest adding the source and a small bio about who is YB; also, the author should indicate the previous studies to reinforce the point.

 

In the introduction, the author could clearly articulate the research questions with a careful methodology, particularly emphasizing the fieldwork of the case study, how it operated, what purpose, the data the article is based on, the conditions of the fieldwork, the period in it, etc. because this is the main contribution, so it should be developed so the reader can have a more concrete idea how it worked (line 58-62). The description of the participant observation is quite fluid (line 281).

 

The literature review (section 2.) is relevant to contextualize the aim of the article.

But I suggest a more articulated narrative to reinforce its argument: the author should decide what fits better, an analysis of key ideas that later will be followed, or a chronological perspective about the way literature has been discussing the issue.

 

In Section 3. move the definition of the art freeport from Section 2, lines 76-78, into this section.

 

In terms of its structure, it is missing a subsection regarding the development of China's art market that has stimulated the emergence of art freeports to frame the case study, and even the Shanghai context needs proper contextualization.

 

Add a date, as the reader may not be familiar with ‘the end of the Qing Dynasty’ (line 310).

 

Questions raised in section 5 seem not answered (lines 278-280)

 

Section 5 is quite descriptive; I suggest a more comparative analysis.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

No comments.

Author Response

Dear reviewers

I greatly appreciate your taking the time to review this manuscript. Thank you for all your work. I have carefully considered the suggestion and made some changes. Please find my itemized responses below.

- in the introduction, the author points out that “the volume of transactions is incalculable” (line 22), the author should mention it, pointing to the bibliographical reference to consolidate its argument. —— add more information and give it reference.

- In Line 40, I suggest adding the source and a small bio about who is YB; also, the author should indicate the previous studies to reinforce the point. -—— add source and previous studies which relate to YB.

- the author could clearly articulate the research questions with a careful methodology, particularly emphasizing the fieldwork of the case study, how it operated, what purpose, the data the article is based on, the conditions of the fieldwork, the period in it, etc. —— unpack the method in the introduction, give more detail on the fieldwork.

- The literature review is relevant to contextualize the aim of the article. But I suggest a more articulated narrative to reinforce its argument. —— organised the literature review following the article structure and key ideas, firstly, firstly, pointing out the studies that contributed to identity the characteristics of art freeport, and secondly, indicating the problems and knowledge gap in previous research in to highlight the value of this study. I try to position my research with and against existing studies, highlight he information of existing studies that are relevant to mine.

- In Section 3. move the definition of the art freeport from Section 2, lines 76-78, into this section. —— done

- Add a date, as the reader may not be familiar with ‘the end of the Qing Dynasty’ (line 310).  —— done

- miss a subsection regarding the development of China's art market that has stimulated the emergence of art freeports to frame the case study, and even the Shanghai context needs proper contextualization.  —— add more info to contextualise the Shanghai art market in section 5, and make Shanghai art market more integrated into broad national background.

- Questions raised in section 5 seem not answered (lines 278-280) —— The questions in Section 5 are designed to explore whether FTZART fulfils the five attributes of art freeports outlined in Section 4. Therefore, this section investigates the features of FTZART in terms of context, location, organisational structure, business model, services, and clients, and concludes in the last paragraph that it meets the characteristics of art freeports and can be integrated into the global art freeport agenda. The question has already been answered. However, I still reprhase and refine the question, and highlight the finding in the last para for a clearer understanding.

- Section 5 is quite descriptive; I suggest a more comparative analysis. ——   

give some comparative examples and analysis in Section 5, pare 6, 8.

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Argument etc:

160-1 – include the risks of price falls amongs deterrents to art investment?

Page 7 – is there over compression of the historical background? It seems odd that the early years of the communist regime are not mentioned at all.

Pages 8-12

I would have appreciated more information/discussion concerning the structure of the Development company and FTZART, and the nature of the art stored and exhibited in the building, and its owners. If this is simply unavailable, this needs stating explicitly.

 

Comments on the Quality of English Language

English:

Lines: 63 'the'?; 78 'are'? 91 'Luxury'???; 95 'are'? ;148 new sentence after 'HNWIs' ?

176 'an art with mystery and aesthetics' – rephrase?; 362 'that' (or 'which') not 'who'; 391 'of here' =?; 449 'the Bouvier affair'; 492 'which is equipped' )or cut 'which';

Author Response

Dear reviewer

I greatly appreciate your taking the time to review this manuscript. Thank you for all your work. I have carefully considered the suggestion and made some changes. Please find my itemized responses below.

- English: Lines: 63 'the'?; 78 'are'? 91 'Luxury'???; 95 'are'? ;148 new sentence after 'HNWIs' ? 176 'an art with mystery and aesthetics' – rephrase?; 362 'that' (or 'which') not 'who'; 391 'of here' =?; 449 'the Bouvier affair'; 492 'which is equipped' )or cut 'which' —— done.

- 160-1 – include the risks of price falls amongs deterrents to art investment? —— add ‘volatility and opacity of the art market’, which Includes the risks of price falls and will not undermine the opinion of Ditzig (2016) quoted in the this article.

- It seems odd that the early years of the communist regime are not mentioned at all. —— add information about the Shanghai art market in the early period of the People's Republic of China, making the context more coherent.

- I would have appreciated more information/discussion concerning the structure of the Development company and FTZART, and the nature of the art stored and exhibited in the building, and its owners. If this is simply unavailable, this needs stating explicitly. —— in section 5, state that these information are not available due to confidentiality.

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This study provides insights into China's less-researched FTZs. It would be immensely helpful to provide additional information or even conduct comparative analysis to better understand the socio-legal conditioning of the FTZs.

Additionally, to enhance the discussion on the FTZs, it would be beneficial to establish a closer connection with the development of the art market infrastructure.

Another area that deserves attention is exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and broader economic environment on the FTZs and Shanghai's art ecology.

Author Response

Dear reviewer

I greatly appreciate your taking the time to review this manuscript. Thank you for all your work. I have carefully considered the suggestion and made some changes. Please find my itemized responses below.

- This study provides insights into China's less-researched FTZs. It would be immensely helpful to provide additional information or even conduct comparative analysis to better understand the socio-legal conditioning of the FTZs —— add more information concerning the social conditions of the FTZ as well as the link between FTZART and the FTZ in section 5, pare 4.

- Additionally, to enhance the discussion on the FTZs, it would be beneficial to establish a closer connection with the development of the art market infrastructure. —— reinforce the connection between the art market and FTZ in discussing context (section 5, para 4, 5, 6).

- Another area that deserves attention is exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and broader economic environment on the FTZs and Shanghai's art ecology. —— This is a good suggestion. I think this profound theme could be investigated in my follow-up studies in a separate article. Discussing the COVID-19 pandemic in this article might deviate from the main question or produce insufficient understanding.