Multiple Modernities: Regional and Global Discourse in the Arts

Multiple trajectories to modernity and the choice of modern and traditional discourse are manifested in the arts. In societies with long traditions of philosophy and education, the impact of modernization, industrialization and modern capitalism imposed a fuller set of choices and contradictions that intellectuals must position and respond to.  In the arts these choices are often directly confronted or encountered or critiqued.  

This web page is designed to guide students to some websites and and issues that allow reflection on the course and path of the arts in different regions of the modern world system.  In focusing on modern and contemporary art, this allows students to consider the choice of artists to select and incorporate modernist and postmodernist techniques of art forms and criticism in response to the social conditions of their own regions.  In this way we may deconstruct and avoid the generalized and essentialized terms of globalization.  


Some general works on contemporary art since 1960 include 
1) Michael Archer, Art since 1960 (New York and London:  Thames and Hudson, 2002). 

2) Kristine Stiles and Peter Selz, Theories and Documents of Contemporary Art:  A Sourcebook of Artists’ Writings (Berkeley, CA:  University of California Press, 1996).

3) Zoya Kocur and Simon Leung, Theory in Contemporary Art since 1985 (Oxford, UK:  Blackwell, 2005).

Modern and Contemporary Arts of the Middle East, Arab World, Iran and Turkey

1)  Modernism and Iraq   This exhibition at Columbia University was curated by Nada Shabout and Zeinab Bahrani, the two leading art historians in the area of Iraqi art history. Use the al-Hidathah database on contemporary Iraqi artists to survey and view key works of modern and contemporary art.  Especialy helpful is the websites periodization of modern Iraqi art:

1. Postcolonial period in Iraq, from the 1940s through the 1960s, was a time of decolonization, the declaration of independence of Iraq from British Mandate, and the years of struggles that ensued.
2. 1970s–1980s a period noted for direct state involvement in sponsoring art and by exhibitions organized by the Baath Party.
3. Postmodernism: Art under Embargo, 1990–2003
4. Art under Occupation 2003 - 2011
5. Dafatir Notebooks - a subversive unofficial art form that developed out of Sufism and used private notebooks and paper art as a form.

2) Association of Modern and Contemporary Art of the Arab World, Iran, and Turkey. (AMCA)  This is the leading academic association for the study of modern and contemporary art in the Middle East.  It sponsors students and graduate students to undertake projects and present papers at international conferences in this area.   The links and resources page is especially helpful. 

3) Mathaf Arab Museum of Modern Arab.  Opened in January 2011, this is now one of  the major museum of modern art in the Arab countries and in the world. 
4) Modern Museum of Art, Cairo.  Unfortunately the link to the museum website at www.modernartmuseum.gov.eg  no longer appears to be active.  This museum houses the major works of key artists of the nahdah (Renaissance) period from the the interwar period and the post World War II period and hosts contemporary art exhibitions and events.  




African Arts

1. Africaresource.com is an excellent resource on African arts and culture, both contemporary and historical.  Also known as the Africa House it is located in Endicott, New York.  Founded and directed by Nkiru Nzegwu, an accomplished and well-known painter and artist, and Chair and Professor of Africana Studies at Binghamton University, State University of New York, the Africa House occupies a multi-storied, architecturally designed gallery and art and media studio gallery with residences for visiting artists.  Its managing director Azuka Nzegwu, Ph.D., has developed an interactive website that links one to many events, art journals and other media related to African culture and the arts.
2. Arts Council of the African Studies Association.  The leading scholarly association for North American scholars of African arts.  This provides excellent resources and support for scholars and undergraduate and graduate students to present papers and attend periodic conferences.
3. Art History Resources on the Web:  African Art.  The index page link is found here. 

Egyptian Art Journalism (1930s - 1940s)

Un Effort - The Essayists  1932

The Al-Risala debate on Degenerate Art in 1939

Al-Tatawwur (Development) 1940s 

Al-Thaqafa