David Joselit's 'Heritage and Debt' Analyzes Global Contemporary Art Through Geopolitical Lenses
In his 2020 publication 'Heritage and Debt: Art in Globalization,' David Joselit examines the rise of contemporary art amid shifts in geopolitics and economics. He categorizes three economic realms prior to 1989, each with unique aesthetics: 'modern/postmodern' for advanced capitalist countries, 'realist/mass cultural' for socialist states, and 'popular/indigenous' for developing nations. Joselit highlights a 'deregulation of images' that began in the late 1970s, intensified during the 1980s, and became global after 1991, allowing various artistic practices to gain equal recognition. He critiques the ambiguity of his 'authorization' concept while analyzing figures such as Jeff Koons and Ai Weiwei. The book, released by MIT Press, prompts discussions on legitimacy in both art and politics, as noted in ArtReview.
Key facts
- David Joselit authored 'Heritage and Debt: Art in Globalization' in 2020.
- The book is published by MIT Press as part of the October Books series.
- Joselit analyzes contemporary art through pre- and post-1989 geopolitical economic divisions.
- He identifies three aesthetic idioms corresponding to first, second, and third world economies prior to 1989.
- A 'deregulation of images' paralleled economic deregulation from the late 1970s onward.
- The book includes case studies of artists Jeff Koons, Ai Weiwei, Shahzia Sikander, and Raqs Media Collective.
- Joselit's concept of 'authorization' is critiqued as overly capacious for progressive art politics.
- The review questions who decides legitimacy, linking it to broader crises in the global north.
Entities
Artists
- David Joselit
- Jeff Koons
- Ai Weiwei
- Shahzia Sikander
- Fredric Jameson
Institutions
- MIT Press
- October Books
- ArtReview
- Raqs Media Collective
Locations
- China
- USSR
- South America
- Soviet bloc