Art History and the Apocalypse

The Doomsday Clock stands at a minute-and-a-half to midnight. Colonial, neo-colonial, and neo-liberal legacies continue to impede populations throughout the Global South. New conflicts erupt in response to these fraught legacies. Across the globe, record heat waves, catastrophic fires, and storms decimate communities. Partisan politics threaten democracy and civil liberties. In our own institutions - schools, universities, museums, galleries - budgets are slashed, questions of value and relevance are ongoing, and staff are burnt out. In this session sponsored by the Services to Historians of the Visual Arts Committee we explore what it means to “do art history” at a moment perceived by some as apocalyptic. What is the sustainability and future of our field as it relates to current crises? How can practitioners navigate various concerns related to climate change, climate pessimism, classroom and institutional censorship, and other existential issues that currently impact the field?

We are seeking brief (10-15 minute) reflections that frame this question from theoretical, practical, pedagogical, and activist perspectives and welcome submissions from art historians, artists, museum professionals and others.