Decentring the Museum: Contemporary Art Institutions and Colonial Legacies

Nina Möntmann's book argues that museums and galleries of contemporary art have a responsibility to decentre their institutions and remove a deeply embedded Euro-centric cultural focus, learning from the example of anthropological museums and small art spaces.

Format: Hardback
Length: 144 pages
Publication date: 01 September 2023
Publisher: Lund Humphries Publishers Ltd

Nina Möntmann's timely book delves into the realm of decolonization, extending its scope to encompass the institutions of contemporary art. Through a meticulously crafted and well-illustrated text, she makes a compelling argument that contemporary art museums and galleries bear a crucial responsibility to decenter their institutions, eliminating from their collections, exhibition policies, and infrastructures a deeply ingrained Euro-centric cultural focus that stems from the history of colonialism. In this pursuit, she draws upon the examples of anthropological museums, such as the Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum in Cologne, which engage in critical dialogues about the colonial histories of their collections, the complexities of trauma, and the processes of repair. Additionally, she highlights the impact of small-scale art spaces, such as La Colonie in Paris, ANO in Accra, the Institute of Arts and Knowledge in Accra, Savvy Contemporary in Berlin, and others, which possess the flexibility to initiate diverse conversations and foster collective knowledge production in collaboration with indigenous or local diasporic communities from the Global South.

For the first time in this book, Möntmann identifies the significant influence that anthropological museums and small art spaces can wield on contemporary art museums to initiate a process of decentring. By examining these case studies, the author highlights the potential for museums to transcend their Eurocentric frameworks and engage more meaningfully with diverse communities, fostering a more inclusive and equitable art world.

This book serves as a valuable resource for art professionals, scholars, and activists who are committed to decolonizing the arts and promoting a more inclusive and diverse cultural landscape. It offers insightful perspectives and practical strategies for museums and galleries to challenge their colonial legacies and embrace a more equitable and inclusive approach to their work.

Weight: 288g
Dimension: 137 x 208 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781848225503