Politics of Visual Arts in a Changing World

Over the past decade, social and political movements transformed the arts. From the streets of Chile and Iran to museums in Europe and the United States, and from questions of representation and repatriation to demands for equity and justice, protest and activism affected the creation, presentation, and interpretation of visual arts around the world.

Bringing together artists, scholars, activists, and museum professionals from varied fields and backgrounds, this book explores the intersections between visual art and social movements during the last tumultuous decade. Spanning themes of protest art, museum ethics, restitution, and institutional transformation, the collection considers how visual arts have both responded to and shaped politics and society. Contributors highlight the role of artists as catalysts for change and delve into how institutions grapple with their colonial pasts.

Featuring essays, case studies, and artist spotlights, this book not only documents a critical moment in the art world but also raises thought-provoking questions about its future. In the current moment of heightened global unrest and existential threats to the future of art institutions, it offers vital insight into art's place in the politics of representation, memory, and resistance.

Vishakha N. Desai is an internationally recognized scholar, educator, and museum leader. She has been a senior advisor to President Lee C. Bollinger and chair of the Committee on Global Thought at Columbia University, and she is the past president and CEO of Asia Society. Her books include World as Family: A Journey of Multi-Rooted Belongings (Columbia, 2021).