How far, how near

This book argues for a greater emphasis on art from regions outside Europe and North America, with the collection of the Stedelijk as its starting point. Prompted by a number of recent acquisitions of work by African artists, including Dorothy Amenuke, Meschac Gaba, Abdoulaye Konaté, and Billie Zangewa, the exhibition centers around the key question of how museum collections and exhibition policies historically and today are limited and challenged in relation to geographical emphasis. Since World War Two, the Stedelijk has developed a distinguished reputation as a museum for international contemporary art. However, artistic developments emerging in large parts of the world were largely ignored. How Far How Near explores the backgrounds and reasons underlying this paradox.