Who gets in? Who decides? In recent years, questions about accessibility, representation, and inclusion have become central to an ongoing reexamination of the collecting practices and power structures of museums and the art world. Artists, curators, writers, and activists have emphasized the narrow framework of Western art history—a discipline dominated by white Euro-American institutions and specialists—while attempting to uncover previously marginalized artists. The artists in this section critique art historical traditions and museum collections. They also challenge us to think beyond what is exhibited in museums to consider who is welcome in such spaces and who is being left out.
These highlights were part of WHO SAYS, WHO SHOWS, WHAT COUNTS: Thinking about History with The Block’s Collection, a 2021 exhibition that explored how art, artists, and museums engage with narratives of the past. To learn more about other artworks and key themes in the exhibition, check out Reframing the Past, Place and Memory, and Critical Portraits.
