Review Analyzes Political Economy in Yugoslav Art History Through Two Recent Studies

A review published on February 21, 2019, examines two scholarly works that employ political economy as a central framework for art historical analysis. Branislav Jakovljević's study focuses on performance and self-management in Yugoslavia, while Armin Medosch's research investigates New Tendencies and post-Fordism. The review, written by Ivana Bago, argues that these books share analytical approaches contributing to a broader methodological shift in the field. Both narratives are anchored in post-war Yugoslavia but aim to situate Yugoslav art within a world-historical perspective, transcending mere global or transnational art history. They affirm a political teleology, returning to Yugoslavia to recall a lost, future-bound history that was interrupted. This historicization offers a recourse to historical understanding as a step toward new strategies of resistance. The content is available via MIT Press under a subscription-only model. The review does not detail specific events or exhibitions but critiques the theoretical underpinnings of these publications.