Holland Cotter of The New York Times reports the art world saw more art in more varieties than ever before in the last decade. From new contemporary art in China, to a growing appreciation for multiculturalism in the American art market; the art scene was flooded with new concepts in art and new exhibitions to promote them. Unfortunately, art was somewhat overshadowed by the terror of 9/11, two wars, episodes of corporate greed, a shaky economy, and the election of an African-American president. Cotter states “In short, life passed art by. Maybe in the new decade they’ll meet.”
Highlights in art in the last decade:
• In the late 1990s, America experienced multiculturalism and globalism, bringing African-American, Latino, and Asia-American art to the forefront of the art scene in New York.
• In the 2000s, art reflected the realities of life, including the good and the bad. Art content was political and self-consciously ethnic in reference.
• The terror attacks of 9/11 brought art enthusiasts closer to the Islamic culture. In 2008 the museum of Islam art opened in Qatar.
• The contemporary art scene grew in China and India.
• Damien Hirst acclaimed art show at the Met.
• More and more art fairs emerged.
• New art forms from Africa were introduced. An historical exhibition on the subject of African modernism titled “The Short Century: Independence and Liberation Movements in Africa, 1945-1994,” opened in Europe and traveled to New York. It was one of the most important shows of the decade.
• The Museum of Fine Arts in Houston presented an exhibition titled “Inverted Utopias: Avant-Garde Art in Latin America,” which illuminated Latin American modernism. The exhibition was a historical survey breaking stereotypes of Latin-American art.
• Archeological looting and the repatriation of art held at major American museums made news. The question of who really owns what was raised and caused museums to review their policies.
• The beginning of the Digital Age – Art institutions began to use digital technology to communicate to their audience. Artists used digital technology as supplements to photography, video and painting.
Read more at The New York Times.
