Museum für Neue Kunst ZKM
The Global Contemporary, Art worlds after 1989
17.09.11 – 05.02.12
What is global in contemporary art?
And how does globalisation influence the functional system of art worldwide? The art worlds mentioned in the subtitle already existed before 1989 – but the end of the Cold War respectively the fall of the Iron Curtain pushed Europe, the focus of its perception, and the market opportunities over established borders.
On the one hand, the exhibition’s contextualisation in the Room of Histories with its fixed gaze on 1989 appears somewhat anxious, but on the other hand this focus offers the most exciting aspect: the art world is embedded into geopolitical developments, the interaction between the world of finance and that of art is documented, a map of Biennials proves its international proliferation into the former “periphery” and, ultimately, the changing functions of museums are being dealt with. The exhibition includes contemporary positions from all continents.
What is global in contemporary art? This becomes apparent through various aspects: the art market and its brand developments, the continuous networking of all players, dealing with the topic of in-/-visibility of non-European artwork and, last but not least, the search for new terms. Time will show if – under these ever-changing conditions - the concept of art itself will be globalized, as if globalisation could develop an aesthetically normative effect.
By Alice Schmatzberger
Museum für Neue Kunst ZKM
76135 Karlsruhe, Lorenzstrasse 9
http://www.mnk.zkm.de
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