EBOOK
Decentring the Museum
Contemporary Art Institutions And Colonial Legacies
Nina MöntmannSeries: New Directions in Contemporary Art(0)
About
A critical examination of how contemporary art museums can address colonial legacies. Nina Möntmann extends the decolonization debate to contemporary art institutions, urging them to 'decenter' their Eurocentric focus rooted in colonialism. This shift involves reassessing collections, exhibition policies, and infrastructures to promote inclusivity and diversity.This book offers a path forward, drawing lessons from anthropological museums engaged in colonial history debates and small-scale art spaces fostering community conversations. By analyzing best practices and proposing concrete strategies, Möntmann challenges museums to reimagine their role in a globalized world, fostering social justice and cultural equity. It is for museum directors, curators, art historians, and cultural studies scholars.
Related Subjects
Reviews
"'This book provides important solutions for making art and anthropological museums culturally relevant. It proposes an expansive model of museology grounded in notions of repair and healing and in practices of restoration and restitution, offering a distinct vision for the future of museums. Summing Up: Highly recommended.'"
L. Estevez, Winston-Salem State University
"'In this lucid book Nina Möntmann confronts the residual legacies of colonialism in contemporary art. She astutely reminds us that this task will entail more than the restitution of objects held in the center or the hiring of new agents from the peripheries. Möntmann makes a compelling case for a radical and imaginative mode of decentring the museum. No-one in the artworld can ignore this argument.'"
Nikos Papastergiadis, University of Melbourne
"'From the unique position of an academic and curator, Nina Möntmann provides rich insights into institutions with exemplary models that move away from hegemonic stances to embrace a new order in museology.'"
Peju Layiwola, Artist and Professor of Art History, University of Lagos