ZKM's 'The Global Contemporary' Book Examines Art After 1989

ZKM Karlsruhe's publication, The Global Contemporary and the Rise of New Art Worlds, builds upon the exhibition 'The Global Contemporary: Art Worlds After 1989' held in 2011–12. This book features historical documents, essays, and a directory of artists that examine the intersection of art and globalization. It traces its origins to 1989, highlighting significant events such as the Berlin Wall's collapse, the Tiananmen Square tragedy, and Jean-Hubert Martin's 'Magiciens de la Terre' at the Pompidou Centre. Curator Andrea Buddensieg commends Martin for freeing non-Western artists from ethnographic constraints. Art historian Hans Belting suggests that global art practices prioritize local cultural meanings over a unified concept. Philosopher Peter Weibel critiques the notion of universal culture as a capitalist instrument. The review mentions the book's insufficient critique of biennialisation and transnational curators, including Boris Groys, Charles Esche, and Okwui Enwezor, who are perceived as self-legitimizing. This article originally appeared in the Summer 2013 edition of ArtReview.