The Absent Museum

How can artists maintain the tension between globalization's paradoxes and history's turbulences and their individual sensibilities and voices? In light of recent tumultuous historical developments, this book, accompanying an exhibition at WIELS, Brussels, discusses the striking absence of art museums in urgent, public debate. Although museums-especially those devoted to contemporary art-have never been as popular as they are today, they are still notably missing from the public space and their voices go unheard in the formation of public opinion. Included are existing works and new productions by some 50 artists, representing, translating, and interpreting the challenges that face museums today, as well as the communities they inspire.