This study aims to question the artist's position in today's art by discussing the commodification of the work of art along with the marketization process of art, which has continued since the 19th century, and on the other hand, the attempt to make commodities artistic. One of the important reasons for this study is that the aesthetic quality of the work of art has become a commodity that is only valued by its price, and the primary purposes of the so-called libertarian policies that determine this price are tried to be invisible. In this context, the marketization process of art from the 19th century to the present has been examined, and its reflection on today's conditions has been discussed in a theoretical framework. As a result, in the 19th century, it was seen that art became an autonomous field by rejecting all kinds of non-art interventions and a free artist identity was formed in this direction. However, this relative freedom did not last long, and in a short time, art fell into the clutches of the market system created by capitalism and the bourgeoisie as an extension of industrial society. Thus, art has become an industry that complies with the production sector rules like any other commodity, by trying to be monopolized by the capitalist economy. Along with postmodernism, it has started to be mentioned more and more with the media of capitalist cultures, such as art, fashion, sponsorship, branding, advertising and design, which is getting closer to the popular culture and business world. Although some artists preferred to follow a collaborative attitude with the market, and some tried to struggle, it is seen that the artwork could not escape meeting the expectations of the market after leaving the artist's studio.
Keywords: Art, autonomy, art market