This is how the guide and master of ceremony at the Museum of American Art describes the history of modernism in art.
The exhibition shows how the various national european narratives of art history that were dominant until second world II got replaced with an american narrative that establishes an international perspective. It features remakes of works of art which are of importance in that new narrative along with catalogs, documents, paintings of poster(!!) and, very cool, a model of hypothetical exhibition.
The place, with its waiting room, the interior design from the post war era and the exhibits is a truly inspiring. It shows how the history of art that is generally never questioned is just one possible and (admittedly) plausible construction amongst others. Of course it’s a common place the history is constructed, yet, it’s good to see such a well researched – and of course well constructed – exhibition.
Besides all that it must be said that the concept such a Gesamtkunstwerk, not connected to a gallery or an institution is brilliant. By far the best art experience in a long time.
