Geographies of Modernism: Considering the Modern Through India, Iran, and Turkey

Canonical studies of modern art continue to assume “Western” art as the “universal” modern. But modernism has always been a global enterprise, happening for different reasons at different times. In the mid-twentieth century, artists experimented with a range of artistic modes of art-making to reflect on shifts in economic, political, and social structures. As scholars today retrace the story of modernism—one that is more diverse and complex—how does this change the way we understand the history of art, and what it means to be modern?

This panel discussion is part of the program for The NYUAD Art Gallery’s presentation of the “Modernisms: Iranian, Turkish, and Indian Highlights from NYU’s Abby Weed Grey Collection” exhibition organized by the Grey Art Gallery and curated by Lynn Gumpert.

*Title taken in part from Andreas Huyssen’s essay “Geographies of Modernism in a Globalized World.”

Speakers

• Vishakha Desai, Senior Advisor for Global Affairs, Columbia University
• Fereshteh Daftari, Scholar and Curator, Columbia University
• Sarah-Neel Smith, Assistant Professor of Art History, Theory, and Criticism, Maryland Institute College of Art

Moderated by

• Lynn Gumpert, Director of Grey Art Gallery, NYU

In Collaboration with