1. Research Library

      2. The Research Library is a continually expanding curated selection of exhibition catalogs, artist monographs, art theory, and cultural studies publications as well as works from theory, postcolonial studies, political history, geopolitics, and other fields. Together these materials seek to provide an overview of the key exhibitions, artists, theories, and discourses that made a significant contribution to charting the shifts in contemporary art and intellectual debates from 1989 till today. The physical Library is housed at BAK; an online version of it, complete with a short entry on each publication explaining why the book is relevant to FORMER WEST project research, can be accessed below. Please note that the selection of artist monographs and catalogs of solo exhibitions is not available online at this time. We are happy to receive suggestions for books to include in the Research Library. Please send an e-mail with the book title, publication data, and a short message to info@formerwest.org. If you would like to visit the physical library at BAK in Utrecht, please schedule an appointment (during visiting hours, Wednesday–Saturday 12.00–17.00 hrs, Sunday 13.00–17.00 hrs) by sending an e-mail to info@bak-utrecht.nl.
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      4. Categories:
        1. All
        2. Art History
        3. Art Theory
        4. Etc.
        5. Exhibitions (Group/Thematic)
        6. Globalization
        7. Post-Colonial Studies/Cultural Studies
        8. Political Science
        9. Political History/Geopolitics
        10. Theory
        Sort order:
        1. Title
        2. Year

        2010

        Afro Modern: Journeys through the Black Atlantic Tanya Barson and Peter GorschluterTate Publishing2010EXH
        Global FeminismsMaura Rielly and Linda NochlinMerrell Publishers Ltd2010EXH
        Promises of the Past: A Discontinuous History of Art in Former Eastern Europe Christine Macel and Nataša PetrešinCentre Pompidou and JRP Ringier2010EXH

        2009

        Art of Two Germanies/Cold War CulturesStephanie Barron, Sabine Eckmann, and Eckhart GillenNew York: Abrams2009EXH
        Altermodern: Tate Triennial 2009 Nicolas BourriaudTate Publishing2009EXH
        Desacuerdos 5. Cultura popularPedro G. RomeroMACBA2009EXH
        Farewell to Post-Colonialism: Querying the Guwangzhou Triennial 2008, Sarat MaharajPrinted Project Issue 11 2009EXH
        11th International Istanbul Biennial : What Keeps Mankind Alive? The GuideWhat, How and for Whom/WHWIstanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts2009EXH
        11th International Istanbul Biennial: What Keeps Mankind Alive? The TextsWHW/What, How and for Whom?Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts2009EXH
        60 Jahre, 60 Werke: Kunst aus der Bundesrepublik Deutschland 1949 bis 2009 Walter SmerlingWienand Verlag2009EXH
        53rd Venice Biennale: Making WorldsDaniel BirnbaumMarsilio Editori2009EXH

        2008

        Archive Fever: Uses of the Document in Contemporary Art Okwui Enwezor Steidel2008EXH
        Baghdad CallingGeert van Kesterenepisode publishers2008EXH
        Catalog International Documentary Film Festival (IDFA) 2008Andrew Maggiore and Nicole SantePantheon Drukkers2008EXH
        Visite: Von Gerhard Richter bis Rebecca Horn Beatrice von Bismarck, Eugen Blume, Annette Husch, et al.DuMont2008EXH

        2007

        Arrivals: Art from the New Europe Suzanne Cotter, Andrew Nairne and Victoria PomeryModern Art Oxford/Turner Contemporary2007EXH
        The Balkans TrilogyRené Block and Marius BabiasKunsthalle Fridericianum & Silke Schreiber2007EXH
        Desacuerdos 4. Cine y VideoJesus CarrilloMACBA2007EXH
        In Defense of GlobalizationJagdish BhagwatiOxford University Press2007EXH
        10th International Istanbul Biennial : Not Only Possible but Also Necessary. Optimism in the Age of Global WarIlkay Balic AyvazIstanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts2007EXH
        Progressive NostalgiaViktor Misiano and Marco BazziniCentro per l'Arte Contemporanea Luigi Pecci2007EXH
        52nd Venice Biennale: Think with the Senses – Feel with the Mind. Art in the Present Tense.Robert StorrMarsilio Editori2007EXH

        2006

        A.C.A.D.E.M.Y.Angelika Nollert, Irit Rogoff, Bart De Baere, Charles Esche, et al.Revolver2006EXH
        Cork Caucus: On art, possibility & democracy Shepard Steiner and Trevor JoyceNational Sculpture Factory2006EXH
        Capital (it fails us now): (oe critical readers in visual culture #6)Simon Sheikhb_books2006EXH
        MigMap: Governing Migration Marion von Osten, et al.2006EXH
        The Uncertain States of America ReaderNoah Horowitz and Brian SholisNew York/ Berlin: Sternberg Press2006EXH

        2005

        Art and Utopia: Limited Action Jean-Francois Chevrier with Elia PijolletMACBA2005EXH
        9th International Istanbul Biennial Guide : IstanbulDeniz UnsalIstanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts2005EXH
        Kollektive Kreativität/Collective Creativity [DE/EN]What, How and for Whom/WHWRevolver2005EXH
        Making Things Public: Atmospheres of Democracy Bruno Latour and Peter WeibelZKM and MIT Press2005EXH
        The Need to DocumentVit Havranek, et al.JRP Ringier2005EXH
        The Populism ReaderLars Bang Larsen, Cristina Ricupero, and Nicholas SchafhausenBerlin/New York: Lukas & Sternberg2005EXH
        Projekt MigrationMarion von Osten and Kathrin RhombergDuMont2005EXH
        Projekt Migration AustellungsführerMarion RitterKölnischer Kunstverein2005EXH
        The Populism CatalogueLars Bang Larsen, Cristina Ricupero, and Nicolaus SchafhausenBerlin/New York: Lukas & Sternberg2005EXH
        Writings from the 9th International İstanbul Biennial : Art, City and Politics in An Expanding WorldDeniz UnsalIstanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts2005EXH

        2004

        Europa, Europa: Das Jahrhundert der Avantgarde in Mittel- und OsteuropaRyzard Stanislawski and Christoph BrockhausHatje Cantz Verlag2004EXH
        Fundamentalisms of the New OrderCharlotte Brandt, Lars Bang Larsen, Jean Charles Massera et al.Berlin/New York: Lukas & Sternberg2004EXH
        Manifesta 5Cecilia P. Alemani, et al.Barcelona: Actar2004EXH
        Privatisierungen – Zeitgenössische Kunst aus OsteuropaBoris GroysRevolver Verlag2004EXH
        Tamáss, Contemporary Arab Representations: Volume 2: Cairo Catherine DavidWitte de With2004EXH
        Who if not we should at least try to imagine the future of all this?: 7 episodes in (ex)changing Europe Maria Hlavajova and Jill WinderAmsterdam: Artimo2004EXH

        2003

        Form Specific Arteast ExhibitionTamara SobanRevolver2003EXH
        Horizons of RealityBart De Baere, Viktor Misiano, Yonah Foncé-Zimmerman , et al.MuHKA2003EXH
        Traumfabrik Kommunismus/ Dream Factory Communism: Der Visuelle Kulture der Stalinzeit/The Visual Culture of the Stalin EraBoris GroysOstfildern-Ruit: Hatje Cantz2003EXH
        50th Venice Biennale: Dreams and Conflicts – The Dictatorship of the ViewerFrancesco BonamiSkira Editore/Marsilio Editori2003EXH

        2002

        Ausstellung/Exhibition: Documenta 11_Platform 5Gerti Fietzek and Christian RattenmeyerOstfildern-Ruit: Hatje Cantz2002EXH
        2000+ Arteast Collection: The Art of Eastern Europe in Dialogue with the West, From the 1960s to the Present, Exhibition of works for an emerging collection Zdenka BadovinacModerna galerija2002EXH
        Documenta 11_Platform 5Okwui EnwezorOstfildern-Ruit: Hatje Cantz2002EXH
        4th Gwangju Biennale: P_A_U_S_E, 2002EXH
        International 2002: Liverpool Biennial Lewis BiggsLiverpool Biennial of Contemporary Art2002EXH
        Manifesta 4 (Supplementary Pack)Meike Behm2002EXH
        Manifesta 4 (guide)Meike Behm, Uta NusserOstfildern-Ruit: Hatje Cantz2002EXH
        Manifesta 4 (Catalog)Meike Behm, et al.Ostfildern-Ruit: Hatje Cantz2002EXH
        Money Nations: Constructing the Border – Constructing East West Marion von Ostenedition selene2002EXH
        Tamáss – Contemporary Arab Representations: Volume 1: Beirut/LebanonCatherine DavidFundacio Antoni Tapies2002EXH

        2001

        Ausgeträumt…Kathrin RhombergSecession2001EXH
        LaboratoriumBarbara Vanderlinden and Hans-Ulrich ObristDuMont2001EXH
        The Short Century: Independence and Liberation Movements in Africa, 1945–1994 Okwui EnwezorPrestel2001EXH
        Unpacking Europe: Towards a Critical Reading Iftikhar Dadi and Salah HassanNAi Publishers2001EXH
        49th Venice Biennale: Plateau of Human KindHarald Szeemann, Cecilia Liveriero Lavelli, and Lara FaccoElecta2001EXH

        2000

        Interpol: The Art Exhibition Which Divided East and West Eda Cufer and Viktor MisianoLjubljana & Moscow: IRWIN and Moscow Art Magazine2000EXH
        Partage d'exotismes: Cinquième biennale d'art contemporain de Lyon Tony GarnierRéunion des Musées Nationaux2000EXH
        Mas alla del documento: Versiones del Sur Monica Amor, Octavio Zaya et al.Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia2000EXH
        Manifesta 3: Borderline Syndrome. Energies of DefenceIgor ZabelCankarjev dom, Cultural and Congress Centre2000EXH
        3rd Shanghai BiennaleShanghai Art Museum2000EXH
        Transnacionala: Highway Collisions Between East and West and the Crossroads of ArtEda CuferLjubljana: Koda2000EXH

        1999

        After the Wall: Art and Culture in post-Communist Europe Bojana Pejić and David ElliotModerna Museet1999EXH
        Aspekte / Positionen: 50 Jahre Kunst aus Mitteleuropa 1949–1999 Lóránd HegyiMuseum moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien1999EXH
        Global Conceptualism: Points of Origin, 1950s–1980s Jane Farver, et al.New York: Artdata/Queens Museum of Art1999EXH
        48th Venice Biennale: Over All – Aperto Harald SzeemannMarsilio Editori1999EXH

        1998

        1st Berlin Biennale: Berlin/BerlinMiriam Wiesel, Klaus Biesenbach, Hans-Ulrich Obrist, and Nancy SpectorOstfildern-Ruit: Hatje Cantz1998EXH
        Cities on the MoveHans Ulrich ObristCapc Musee d’ art contemporain de Bordeaux1998EXH
        Inside Out: New Chinese Art Gao MingluUniversity of California Press1998EXH
        If You Lived Here: The City in Art, Theory, and Social Activism. A Project by Martha Rosler 1991) (Dia Art Foundation Discussions in Contemporary Culture, Volume 6) Brian WallisNew Press1998EXH
        Moneynations@accessMarion von OstenShedhalle1998EXH
        Manifesta 2Agence luxembourgeoise d`action culturell a.s.b.l. and Casino Luxembourg-Forum d`art contemporainLuxembourg: Agence luxembourgeoise d`action culturell a.s.b.l. and Casino Luxembourg-Forum d`art contemporain1998EXH
        Nuit blånche, Scènes nørdiques: les années 90 Paris MuséesParis Musées1998EXH
        Out of Actions: Between Performance and the Object, 1949–1979Paul Schimmel, Russel Ferguson, and Kristine StilesThames and Hudson,1998EXH
        Sensation: Young British Artists from the Saatchi Collection Norman Rosenthal, Brooks Adams, et al.Thames and Hudson1998EXH
        SUPERmarkt: money, market, gender politics Marion von OstenShedhalle1998EXH

        1997

        Cities on the moveHou Hanru and Hans Ulrich ObristOstfildern-Ruit: Hatje Cantz1997EXH
        It's a Better World: Russischer Aktionismus Und Sein Kontext – Russian Actionism and Its Context Joseph Backstein, Johanna Kandle, Kikhail Ryklin et al.Secession1997EXH
        Inklusion/Exklusion: Probleme des Postkolonialismus und der globalen Migration Peter Weibel and Slavoj ŽižekPassagen Verlag1997EXH
        Politics/Poetics: Documenta X – the book Catherine David and Jean-Francois ChevrierOstfildern-Ruit: Hatje Cantz1997EXH
        Parisien(ne)sHou Hanru Camden Arts Centre and Institute of International Visual Arts (InIVA)1997EXH
        Trade Routes – History and Geography: 2nd Johannesburg Biennale 1997Rory Bester and Matthew DebordGreater Johannesburg Metropolitan Council and Prince Claus Fund for Culture and Development1997EXH

        1996

        Face á l’histoire: l’artiste moderne devant l’événement historique 1933–1996 Jean-Paul Ameline Flammarion1996EXH
        Jurassic Technologies Revenant: 10th Biennale of Sydney Lynne CookBiennale of Sydney1996EXH
        Manifesta 1Miriam BeermanManifesta & IDEA Books1996EXH
        NowHereLars Nittve, et al.Louisiana Museum of Modern Art1996EXH
        Sex & SpaceMarion von OstenShedhalle1996EXH

        1995

        Beyond Belief: Contemporary Art from East Central Europe Laura J. Hoptman et al.Museum of Contemporary Art 1995EXH
        Culture in Action: Public Art Program of Sculpture Chicago Mary Jane Jacob, Michael Brenson, and Eva M. OldsonBay Press1995EXH
        Der Riss im Raum DokumentationUta GnewuchGuardini Stiftung1995EXH
        4th International Istanbul Biennial : ORIENT/ATION – The Vision of Art in a Paradoxical WorldRené Block Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts1995EXH
        Rites of Passage: Art for the End of the Century Stuart Morgan and Frances MorrisTate Gallery Publications1995EXH
        Trust (Catalogue)1995EXH
        TrafficNicolas BourriadCAPC Contemporary Museum1995EXH
        Wild WallsLeontine Coelewij and Martijn van NieuwenhuyzenStedelijk Museum1995EXH

        1994

        Black Male: Representations of Masculinity in Contemporary American Art Thelma GoldenHarry N. Abrams1994EXH
        Der Riss im Raum: Positionen der Kunst seit 1945 in Deutschland, Polen, der Slowakei und Tschechien Matthias Flügge and Jiri SvestkaGuardini Stiftung/Verlag der Kunst1994EXH
        Oh boy, it’s a girl!: Feminismen in der Kunst Hedwig Saxenhuber and Astrid WegeKunstverein München1994EXH
        22nd São Paulo Biennial: Bienal Brasil Seculo XXNelson AguilarFundação Bienal de São Paulo1994EXH
        24th São Paulo Biennial: 24e Bienal de São PauloFundação Bienal de São Paulo1994EXH
        This is the show and the show is many thingsBart De Baere, Pierre Giquel, and Dirk PültauS.M.A.K.1994EXH

        1993

        Der zerbrochene Spiegel: Positionen zur Malerei Kasper König and Hans Ulrich ObristKunsthalle Wien1993EXH
        Kontext Kunst: Kunst der 90er JahrePeter WeibelDuMont1993EXH
        Sonsbeek 93Jan Brand, Catelijne de Muynck, and Valerie SmithSnoeck-Ducaju & Zoon1993EXH
        45th Venice Biennale: Aperto 93 Emergency/EmergenzaLéonie von OppenheimFlash Art/Giancarlo Politi Editore1993EXH
        Whitney Biennial: 1993 Biennial ExhibtionThelma Golden, John G. Hanhardt, Lisa Phillips, and Elisabeth SussmanWhitney Museum of American Art1993EXH

        1992

        Berlin 37 RäumeKlaus BiesenbachKunst-Werke1992EXH
        Documenta IXRoland Nachtigaller and Nicola von VelsenEdition Cantz1992EXH
        3rd International Istanbul Biennial : Production of Cultural DifferenceVasif KortunIstanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts1992EXH

        1991

        Kunst, Europa: 63 deutsche Kunstvereine zeigen Kunst aus 20 Ländern Margarethe Jochimsen, Tilman Osterwold, Jiri Svestka, et al.Verlag Hermann Schmidt1991EXH
        Metropolis: International Art Exhibition Berlin Christos M. Joachimides and Norman RosenthalRizzoli1991EXH
        Places with a Past: New Site-specific Art at Charleston's Spoleto FestivalChristian Boltanski, Mary Jane Jacob, and Theodore RosengartenRizzoli1991EXH
        “SOWJETUNION.” 63 deutsche Kunstvereine zeigen Kunst aus 20 Ländern: Kunst, EuropaMargarethe Jochimsen, Tilman Osterwold, Jiri Svestka, et al.Verlag Hermann Schmidt1991EXH

        1990

        The Decade Show: Frameworks of Identity in the 1980s Thelma Golden, David Deitcher, and Guillermo Gomez-Pena.New Museum of Contemporary Art1990EXH
        Lotte or the Transformation of the Object = Lotte oder der Transformation des ObjektsClémentine DelissGraz: Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt1990EXH

        1989

        3rd Havana Biennial: Tercera Bienal de la Habana ’89 Gerardo Mosquera Centro Wilfredo Lam1989EXH
        Magiciens de la TerreJean-Hubert MartinEditions du Centre Pompidou1989EXH
        The Other Story: Afro-Asian Artists in Post-War Britain Rasheed AraeenSouth Bank Centre 1989EXH
        Wittgenstein | Biographie. Philosophie. Praxis.: Eine Ausstellung der Wiener Secession Michael Huter, et al.Secession1989EXH

        1988

        FreezeDamien Hirst and Ian JeffreyOlympia and York Canary Wharf and Docklands Development Corporation1988EXH

        1981

        Westkunst, Realismus, Mimesis, in: Kunstforum International no. 44/45, 2–3Kunstforum InternationalKunstforum International1981EXH
        Westkunst: Zeitgenössische Kunst seit 1939 Laszlo GlozerDuMont1981EXH
        Westkunst, HeuteKaspar KönigDuMont1981EXH