Most commercially successful artists are "supported" by collectors and/or institutions. That's what makes their work a good investment. To become eligible for t

Most commercially successful artists are "supported" by collectors and/or institutions. That's what makes their work a good investment. To become eligible for that kind of support, an artist's work has to be deemed relevant by someone with a degree of clout. Not all collectors care about the relevance of the art they buy: some are just looking for a prestigious investment. But somewhere along the line, any successful artist has convinced some people that they are the real thing.