“Think of it as the art world’s ‘new math.’ A new generation of collectors, dealers and financiers have come to treat art as a highly sophisticated financial instrument: tradable, globally recognizable, in demand and liquid around the world. Suddenly, some of the most prized names in contemporary art are the more prolific ones, those with signature images (like Damien Hirst’s ubiquitous “spin art” paintings), since inventories can be traded much like currency.”