Postwar Exhibitions Reveal Tensions Between Modernism and World Art Concepts

From the 1950s to the early 1970s, exhibitions showcased the tensions between the European narrative of modernism and the wider notion of World Art. Organizers intentionally kept these frameworks distinct, which hindered a comprehensive understanding of twentieth-century art. The inclusion of realist works from the Soviet bloc and other areas disrupted the cohesion of modern art exhibitions. The Soviet Universal History of Art, released from 1956 to 1965, notably emphasized both realism and non-Euro-American art of the twentieth century. These historical perspectives highlight contradictions in late modernism's universalist assertions. Present-day initiatives aimed at global viewpoints on modern art underscore the significance of these earlier conflicts. This analysis, which examines exhibition strategies that postponed the integration of varied artistic traditions, was published by Nikolas Drosos on June 18, 2019.