Magiciens de la terre / Symposium 2014

A look back at a pioneering experience and the prospects it opened up. Twenty-five years ago, the Centre Pompidou presented "Magiciens de la terre" in collaboration with the Grande Halle de la Villette. The event represented a turning point in contemporary art and for the history of exhibitions: through its invitation to artists from every continent, it signalled the beginning of globalisation. A two-day international symposium brought together exhibition curators, academics, art historians, sociologists and players in the art world.

Thursday 27 March, 2.00 p.m. : Opening of the symposium by Alain Seban, President of the Centre Pompidou. Introduction by Jean-Hubert Martin, the exhibition curator in 1989.

Contributions from Laurent Jeanpierre (Université Paris 8), Daniel Soutif (art critic), Jonathan Mane-Wheoki (Elam School of Fine Arts, Auckland), Victoria Noorthoorn (exhibition curator) and Niru Ratnam (Art 14 Art Fair, London).

Friday 28 March, 7.00 p.m. : Globalisation of contemporary art: a conversation between between Hans Belting (art historian) and Saskia Sassen (sociologist and economist), moderated by Annie Cohen-Solal.