Decisions of “gatekeepers” in abstract avantgarde art are characterized by less independence than decisions made by their counterparts in different figurative styles. This difference is seen to be related to the character of professional ideologies within the framework of which the two sets of “gatekeepers” work. Specifically, the demand for the absolute freedom of artistic expression and the proscription of judgment in the philosophy of avantgarde create a situation in which decisions cannot be based on established criteria. Consequently, such decisions are sought after in the “social reality” of the inner circle of the avantgarde. None of the approaches underlying various figurative styles, in contrast, require absolute openness. The availability of specific criteria for evaluating figurative art renders a similar reliance on “social reality” unnecessary and, accordingly, individual judgment prevails in “gatekeeping” choices. In the Israeli art world, avantgarde and figurative art coexist in two exclusive subsystems and thus provide a unique opportunity to observe in high relief the patterns of judgment characteristic of each.