Historical significance is a social reality just as much as short-term interest is.
And I think there’s a difference between art-markets-in-the-abstract and art-markets-as-currently-implemented. The former is certainly necessary for professional artists to function in a capitalist society, but I don’t think the latter is. And it’s the latter that the OP seems to be arguing against—not the idea of selling art in general, but the current cabal that rigs the prices.
Historical significance is a social reality just as much as short-term interest is.
And I think there’s a difference between art-markets-in-the-abstract and art-markets-as-currently-implemented. The former is certainly necessary for professional artists to function in a capitalist society, but I don’t think the latter is. And it’s the latter that the OP seems to be arguing against—not the idea of selling art in general, but the current cabal that rigs the prices.