Bergamot Station in Santa Monica, Calif. is a complex of contemporary art galleries. Like Tribeca or the Meatpacking District, it’s a former commercial area that has been converted into a trendy hotspot during the past 15 years. Over winter break, I was wandering through the galleries and saw a shocking number of pieces priced at five figures. There was little evidence of a financial crisis. In fact, there seemed to be almost a denial of it.
