[ Cultural Studies ]

At the turn of the new millennium, the globalisation of art production not only involves major museums in the West (and their expansion plans such as Guggenheim supplicants in Singapore and Guadalajara), but leads to a new landscape of art institutions (Biennials and museums) outside the West which for the latter implies to find their own profile in justifying their existence and to redefine contemporary art in a given, local context. In general, we notice a dramatic transformation of museums in present day societies. In the West, art museums function as international market places and, with the help of curatorial populism, cutting edge architecture and public relation campaigns, develop an important role for the urban economy and also become tools for the celebration of political power. Outside the West, museums are still in search of their role both as a forum in the public domain and as an attraction for international tourism. In the one and the other case, art is about to undergo a major transformation which reaches beyond the demands of the art market.