The Ultimate Contact Zone: Addressing Shared Human Concerns in Modern Art Museums and Biennials Curatorial Practice

The age of globalisation has determined the shrinking of geographical distances and the emergence of mass mobility. People from diverse cultures now cohabit the same geographical areas which often leads to conflicts stemming from fear of cultural diversity. In this respect, the role of modern art museums and biennials concerning the staging of intercultural encounters leading to mutual understanding is key. In this research, Pratt's and Clifford's theories on the contact zone will be combined with Bennett's notion of the exhibitionary complex and Witcomb's theories on the importance of addressing shared human concerns in current curatorial practice to instill empathic responses in the audiences face the realisation that despite cultural diversities, humans worldwide also share similar traits. Curatorial practice focussed on equally highlighting cultural similarities and differences and being more inclusive of the world’s artistic production, it is argued, can lead to the...Show moreThe age of globalisation has determined the shrinking of geographical distances and the emergence of mass mobility. People from diverse cultures now cohabit the same geographical areas which often leads to conflicts stemming from fear of cultural diversity. In this respect, the role of modern art museums and biennials concerning the staging of intercultural encounters leading to mutual understanding is key. In this research, Pratt's and Clifford's theories on the contact zone will be combined with Bennett's notion of the exhibitionary complex and Witcomb's theories on the importance of addressing shared human concerns in current curatorial practice to instill empathic responses in the audiences face the realisation that despite cultural diversities, humans worldwide also share similar traits. Curatorial practice focussed on equally highlighting cultural similarities and differences and being more inclusive of the world’s artistic production, it is argued, can lead to the establishment of what can be defined the ultimate contact zone - a space of fruitful intercultural encounters in which diverse communities meet on equal power relations, discover each other, and ultimately re-shape their preconceptions around the surrounding world and the people inhabiting it. Specifically, the ultimate contact zone theory will be here applied to the famous exhibition The Family of Man, held at the MoMA in 1955 and now permanently installed at Clervaux Castle in Luxembourg, and the more recent Self-Portrait as the Billy Goat and The End of Love, held at the Whitechapel Gallery in London. The discussion will then move to biennial curatorial practice with a focus on the 1989 3rd Havana Bienal Tradition and Contemporaneity and the 57th Venice Biennale Viva Arte Viva.Show less

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The Ultimate Contact Zone: Addressing Shared Human Concerns in Modern Art Museums and Biennials Curatorial Practice