Hayward Gallery's 1989-90 'The Other Story' Exhibition Challenged Mainstream Art Criticism
From 29 November 1989 to 4 February 1990, the Hayward Gallery showcased 'The Other Story,' an exhibition curated by Rasheed Araeen that highlighted 24 Afro-Asian artists in post-war Britain. Critics labeled the exhibition as unoriginal, with Jane Bryce in Arts Review (January 1990) criticizing the condescending attitudes of some reviewers. Araeen sought to challenge prevailing art norms, emphasizing previously overlooked exhibitions such as Whitechapel's 'From two worlds' (1986) and Zamana's 'Art of south-western Nigeria' (1988). Featured artists included Ronald Moody, Sonia Boyce, and Saleem Arif, whose works examined the interplay of tradition and modernity. Additionally, discussions led by black artists provided alternative viewpoints, contesting the exclusivity of Western art narratives.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'The Other Story' ran from 29 November 1989 to 4 February 1990 at the Hayward Gallery
- Curated by Rasheed Araeen, featuring 24 Afro-Asian artists in post-war Britain
- Mainstream press criticized the show as "tame and derivative" and "not very good"
- Jane Bryce in Arts Review January 1990 issue criticized reviewers' patronizing tone
- Similar exhibitions in 1986 and 1988 were overlooked by mainstream publications
- Critics claimed Afro-Asian artists failed due to lack of quality, not discrimination
- Artists included Ronald Moody, Sonia Boyce, Keith Piper, Eddie Chambers, Gavin Jantjes, Saleem Arif, Avinash Chandra, Avtarjeet Dhanjal
- Gallery talks by black artists like Jacques Rangasamy offered alternative perspectives
Entities
Artists
- Rasheed Araeen
- Jane Bryce
- Gavin Jantjes
- Ernst
- Klee
- Picasso
- Saleem Arif
- Avinash Chandra
- Ronald Moody
- Sonia Boyce
- Keith Piper
- Eddie Chambers
- Jacques Rangasamy
- Avtarjeet Dhanjal
- Frank Bowling
- Uzo Egonu
- Iqbal Geoffrey
- Mona Hatoum
- Lubaina Himid
- Balraj Khanna
- Li Yuan-chia
- Donald Locke
- David Medalla
- Ahmed Parvez
- Ivan Peries
- Anwar Jalal Shemza
- Kumiko Shimizu
- Francis Newton Souza
- Aubrey Williams
- Jean Fisher
- Homi Bhabha
- Sutapa Biswas
- Andrew Graham-Dixon
- Ashleigh Barice
- Ella Sweeney
- Jennifer Warren
- Vijay Dhir
- Ron Davis
Institutions
- Hayward Gallery
- Arts Review
- Whitechapel
- Zamana
- Wolverhampton Art Gallery
- Manchester City Art Gallery
- Cornerhouse
- Afterall
- TrAIN
- University of the Arts London
- Tate Britain
- Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art
- Association of Research Institutes in Art History
- Asia Art Archive
- Central Saint Martins
Locations
- Britain
- Jamaica
- South Africa
- India
- Pakistan
- Palestine
- Japan
- Philippines
- Sri Lanka
- China
- England
- London
- United Kingdom
- Wolverhampton
- Manchester