Art History, Postcolonialism, and the Global Turn

Abstract When taken as a conglomerate, the postcolonial, global, and decolonial might signal coordinated “decolonizing” action—one of breaking with Eurocentric, patriarchal, nationalist foundations art history. Yet from disaggregating perspective, these three terms their respective domains cannot be seen synonymous or entirely harmonious. What particularly demands scrutiny is tendency to dismiss announce its demise, by claiming it has been superseded other paradigms, namely global decolonial. This introductory essay, accompanying special issue ARTMargins, seeks trace they have intersected scholarship in history over past five decades, challenge postcolonialism's presumed obsolescence wake turn. Postcolonial thought, we argue, given rise generative series critical interventions at least since 1970s 1980s, proven nuanced self-reflexive. lines inquiry not only continue offer ways critically exploring colonial-era subsequent artistic practices, but also allow for interrogations formations discipline colonial forms knowledge. As such, postcolonialism still vitalizes debates within regarding constitution own objects, lineaments, methods.