ARTS: Artuklu Sanat ve Beşeri Bilimler Dergisi

Abstract

In this study, the exhibition titled Magiciens de la Terre (Magicians of The Earth), which was held in Paris in 1989, has been discussed. This exhibition, which shows the examples of contemporary art produced in Western and non-Western parts of the world and is considered as one of the most important breaking points of curatorial history in terms of examining the possibility of multiculturalism, has been mentioned from various aspects.
Magicians of The Earth, which was held at a period of time when several global changes took place and new types of artists and curators emerged, has been examined in its relationship to globalization and how the economic and cultural globalization processes, which are determined by global capital forces, affect contemporary art practices.
The effects of Magicians of The Earth on contemporary art have been emphasized, which is considered to be the first truly worldwide exhibition in terms of enabling art works belonging to Western and non-Western artists to be displayed side by side without establishing any hierarchy between them and creating a transnational legacy. While examining this exhibition seeking an answer to the question of whether an artistic vision which is shaped locally but succeeds to be international can be realized, the works which can be described as reflections of the new approaches developing in the post-colonial process have been interpreted and various criticisms about the exhibition have been mentioned.