'What is Postnational Art History?' edited by Charles Green and Ian McClean launched at Perimeter Books

Edited by Charles Green and Ian McLean, designed by Beaziyt Worcou, and conceived as part of a colloquium of art historians convened at the Buku-Larrngay Mulka Centre – the Yolgnu art centre in Yirrkala, situated in north-east Arnhem Land, in Australia’s Top End – this book aims to tease out and better understand the transnational resonances and connections between artists across cultures and borders that increasingly shape the emerging post-Western world.

During the past half-century, contemporary art practices, theories and criticism have engaged intently with notions of the postnational. Nonetheless, the presence of the nation-state and nationalisms in art history remain steadfast. In posing the question ‘What is postnational art history?’ this publication aims not for definitive answers, but rather to broach the broader concept of postnationalism and how it might function to disrupt, rethink and complicate established discourses around national art.

A collection of essays, reflections and conversations, this new book features contributions from ARC ONE Gallery artists CHARLES GREEN and DESMOND LAZARO, alongside authors including Anna Arabindah-Kesson, Rex Butler, Wulan Dirgantoro, A.D.S. Donaldson, James Elkins, Helen Hughes, Nicholas Jose, Susan Lowish, Carol Yinghua Lu, Margaret MacNamidhe, Ian McLean, Nina Miall, Nikos Papastergiadis, Nur Shkembi, Terry Smith, and Mr Wanambi.