Since the mid eighties post modern interest in regionalism and relativism within the avant-garde has been superseded by the reality of a genuine globalising practice by artists and curators. Magiciennes de la Terre 1989 was a major landmark and was followed a year later by a major conference in Venice on the subject of accommodating diversity. The biggest issues expressed then were how to be inclusive without inappropriately forcing works together with differing cultural contexts as Jean- Hubert was accused of doing. How could we preserve the specificity of works from different traditions while allowing them to hang side by side? How could we develop a critical framework to embrace this diversity or would the answer be to have multiple overlapping frameworks? I will look at a series of exhibitions, Boundary Rider 1992, Cucido y crudo 1994, and subsequent strategies by curators to diffuse the issues without really addressing these core questions.

Anthony Bond, Head curator, International Art - Art Gallery of New South Wales