Identity Theft: The Cultural Colonization of Contemporary Art

Identity Theft examines the complex socio-political forces that powerfully influence the production of visual art in our postcolonial and globalised world. Offering multiple and detailed case-studies drawn from around the world - the work of exiled Iranian and Palestinian artists, contemporary art in Turkey, the architectural reconstruction of Berlin since World War Two, hybrid urban development in Latin American countries, recent film in India, modern art in Nigeria, and wood sculpture in New Guinea commissioned by multinational mining companies - this collection of essays asks questions about the transformed meanings of 'art' and 'identity' in an era dominated by a hyperinternationalisation of cultural production. Identity Theft is intended for all students and academics interested in the fate of modern art and the prospects for future cultural production in a globalised art world economy.