Decolonized History of Art: Global Narratives from 1900 to the Present

Art history has never been neutral. The course Decolonized History of Art, from Institution School, is one of the first sustained efforts to trace modern and contemporary art from a truly global perspective. 

Across 24 online lessons, from mid-January to late April, participants will engage with an expansive and diverse range of artistic practices. These include the anti-colonial modernist movements of South Asia such as the Bengal School of Art and the Calcutta Group; Black diasporic modernisms, including the Harlem Renaissance and Caribbean avant-garde circles; Mexican and Chilean muralism, Brazilian Neo-Concretism, and the Anthropophagic movement; and modernist and calligraphic experimentation in North Africa and West Asia, exemplified by the Baghdad Modern Art Group and Algerian avant-garde circles. Postwar experimental collectives in East and Southeast Asia, such as Gutai, Mono-ha, and Dansaekhwa, are also examined, alongside pan-African cultural events and experiences like the Kinshasa School in Western and Central Africa, and the Hurufiyya movement and abstract modernism in West Asia. The course further explores Indigenous artistic expressions—including the work of Andean indigenist artists like José Sabogal, Julia Codesido, and Camilo Egas in Latin America and Rover Thomas and Emily Kam Kngwarray in Australia, as well as the political use of folklore in collectives like Las Arpilleras – bringing these practices to light within broader art historical narratives. At the same time, the traditional Western trajectory of contemporary art is addressed—from early avant-garde movements such as Futurism and Constructivism, through the Neo-Avant-Garde with Abstract Expressionism and Fluxus, to Postmodernism and the present—critically addressing their colonial and often ambiguous elements. The course highlights  forefront voices, movements, and practices that have long been overlooked, positioning them as central to understanding the evolution of artistic production, and inviting participants to explore connections across time and geography.

Guided by leading scholars and curators including Ute Meta Bauer, Nicolas Bourriaud, Tandazani Dhlakama, Charles Esche, Raphael Chikukwa, Gaudêncio Fidelis, Beáta Hock, Đỗ Tường Linh, Viktor Misiano, Morad Montazami, Samantha A. Noël, Anda Rottenberg, Shukla Sawant, Nada Shabout, R. Siva Kumar, Midori Yoshimoto, among others, the course strives to generate a unified yet plural history of art, examining and bringing together the diverse art histories that have developed across regions and periods and revealing the complexity of global artistic production. 

Sessions will be held online every Wednesday at 6pm CET and Saturday at 3pm CET, from January 17 to April 22, and last two hours each. The program is accessible live and on-demand. In addition, opportunities for discussion and exchange beyond the single sessions will encourage critical engagement, dialogue, and collaboration.

The full course is 350 EUR, with an Early Bird rate of 250 EUR available (until December 28). Reduced fees apply for specific groups: 180 EUR for students under 26, 220 EUR for teachers, and 180 EUR for residents of lower-middle and lower income countries (see which countries qualify). Individual lessons can be purchased for 25 EUR/18 EUR for students under 26.

Register now on Eventbrite & visit our website to learn more about Institution School, the course, prices and registration procedure. For any questions or if you need any further information, please contact our team.

Institution School is an initiative of Institution, an organization dedicated to addressing urgent global issues through the arts and the social sciences. The School translates this mission into an interdisciplinary learning environment where artistic practice, research, and critical inquiry meet. Its programs bring together visual arts, music, performance, design, philosophy, and cultural studies, encouraging students to work across fields and engage with the questions shaping contemporary society. Teaching is led by established artists, scholars, and industry experts who combine academic rigor with deep knowledge of today’s creative languages. Aligned with Institution’s “phygital” vision, the School seeks to bring into the digital environment key qualities of in-person learning—such as participation and social interaction – while fostering collaboration, cultural literacy, and the analytical skills needed to navigate and interpret the evolving landscape of contemporary culture.