Colonialism and the Object

The post-colonial world has seen a major re-evaluation of the insititutions and ideologies of colonialism. Post-colonial theory has enriched our understanding of the history and literature of colonial periods. With reference to this trend, this collection examines the artistic production of both imperial nations and their colonies and aims to show how it was affected by colonial contact. Drawing together an international group of scholars from a variety of disciplinary and cultural backgrounds, it presents case studies of objects from India, Pakistan, New Zealand, China and Africa which were collected by or exhibited in the institutions of the British Empire. Other chapters address issues of racial identity across cultural barriers and the hybrid styles which can emerge when cultures meet. The contributors also consider how we, in the post-colonial era, should interpret the cultural production of the colonial world and how through displaying these objects, contemporary museum practice can address the artistic inheritance of colonialism.

Author Biography

Tim Barringer is a lecturer in History of Art at the University of Birmingham, following earlier positions at Birbeck College, University of London and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
Tom Flynn is a freelance art historian and writer. He is currently completing a book on sculpture and the body.