A Global Stage

During the 1900s, notions of modernity and progress, spread by the industrial revolution across the planet, were brought into question. Two world wars caused a redistribution of global dynamics as instances of decolonization challenged a number of certainties. Technological advancement nevertheless continued at a breath-taking pace, driving globalization and transforming the world into an inter- connected network centred around major cities like Paris, London, Berlin, Moscow, and New York.

The extensive presence of photography and the evolution of the cinematic image gave birth to a new industry of mass- entertainment. A renewed purpose within artistic circles allowed for the redefinition and transformation of practices, fuelling the confrontational character of modern art. A succession of art movements, often rooted in different responses to war, repeatedly questioned the limits of the created object, while redefining the meaning of art.