The World’s Fairs of the 19th and early 20th centuries gave rise to significant impulses for the histories of art and fashion. Both were fixed components of the national self-presentation at the world’s fairs from the very beginning. This research project will conduct a fundamental revision of art and fashion, for the first time in the context of the world’s fairs.
First, the research project will make a significant contribution to a de-centering of art and fashion metropolises. Not only was the world brought together in miniature at the world expositions, but also objects and artifacts from very different areas of technology, handcrafts, the visual arts, and fashion were brought together in a holistic model. Such unifying ideas were reflected in the nineteenth-century concept of a “Gesamtkunstwerk.” World’s fairs created such centers of seeing and showing, and served, for example, to establish Paris as an art and fashion metropolis, distinguishing it from its ‘peripheries,’ such as Latin American representations and colonies, which in contrast were presented as traditional and ‘authentic.’
Second, a central concern of the project is to challenge the constructions of modernity associated with the fairs in the context of a “critical globalism.” Staging ‘modern’ art as related to the ‘national schools’ emerging at the same time was also a way of negotiating artistic metropolitanness and ‘periphery’ in the transnational framework of the world’s fairs. Thus, world’s fairs created a competition over modernity, where the western nations were conceived as industrially, artistically, and fashionably advanced. Latin America in particular, as not yet modern but no longer colonized, take on an ambivalent role in the context of the world’s fairs.
Third, art history and fashion studies thus require a substantially new perspective by approaching the entanglements of the world’s fairs from positions of postcolonial and decolonial theory. Such a theoretical formation is particularly well suited for working out ambivalences, since it uses multiplied views to expand the binary constructions of center and periphery, modernity and tradition. The project breaks new ground working out the “entangled histories” of art and fashion at the world’s fairs against the backdrop of colonialism, imperialism, and globalization.
On the basis of case studies in the two following two main areas, essential knowledge can be gained about how art and fashion are mutually connected in the multi-layered context of the world’s fair: 1. “Fashioning the World” (directed by Prof. Dr. Alexandra Karentzos) will concentrate on the role of fashion and textiles in the globalized context of the artistic exchange at the world’s fairs; and 2. “De-/Colonial Modernities: Representing ‘Peripheries’ at World’s Fairs” (directed by Prof. Dr. Miriam Oesterreich) will focus on the ambivalent position of Latin America as ‘peripheral’ presentations.
First, the research project will make a significant contribution to a de-centering of art and fashion metropolises. Not only was the world brought together in miniature at the world expositions, but also objects and artifacts from very different areas of technology, handcrafts, the visual arts, and fashion were brought together in a holistic model. Such unifying ideas were reflected in the nineteenth-century concept of a “Gesamtkunstwerk.” World’s fairs created such centers of seeing and showing, and served, for example, to establish Paris as an art and fashion metropolis, distinguishing it from its ‘peripheries,’ such as Latin American representations and colonies, which in contrast were presented as traditional and ‘authentic.’
Second, a central concern of the project is to challenge the constructions of modernity associated with the fairs in the context of a “critical globalism.” Staging ‘modern’ art as related to the ‘national schools’ emerging at the same time was also a way of negotiating artistic metropolitanness and ‘periphery’ in the transnational framework of the world’s fairs. Thus, world’s fairs created a competition over modernity, where the western nations were conceived as industrially, artistically, and fashionably advanced. Latin America in particular, as not yet modern but no longer colonized, take on an ambivalent role in the context of the world’s fairs.
Third, art history and fashion studies thus require a substantially new perspective by approaching the entanglements of the world’s fairs from positions of postcolonial and decolonial theory. Such a theoretical formation is particularly well suited for working out ambivalences, since it uses multiplied views to expand the binary constructions of center and periphery, modernity and tradition. The project breaks new ground working out the “entangled histories” of art and fashion at the world’s fairs against the backdrop of colonialism, imperialism, and globalization.
On the basis of case studies in the two following two main areas, essential knowledge can be gained about how art and fashion are mutually connected in the multi-layered context of the world’s fair: 1. “Fashioning the World” (directed by Prof. Dr. Alexandra Karentzos) will concentrate on the role of fashion and textiles in the globalized context of the artistic exchange at the world’s fairs; and 2. “De-/Colonial Modernities: Representing ‘Peripheries’ at World’s Fairs” (directed by Prof. Dr. Miriam Oesterreich) will focus on the ambivalent position of Latin America as ‘peripheral’ presentations.
Miriam Oesterreich
Dr. phil., is a Professor for Theory of Design and Gender Studies at the University of the Arts in Berlin and Co-Principle Investigator of the project.
m.oesterreich@udk-berlin.de
show more
Dr. phil., is a Professor for Theory of Design and Gender Studies at the University of the Arts in Berlin and Co-Principle Investigator of the project.
m.oesterreich@udk-berlin.de
show more
Alexandra Karentzos
Dr. phil., is a Professor of Fashion and Aesthetics at the Technical University of Darmstadt and Co-Principle Investigator of the project.
alexandra.karentzos@tu-darmstadt.de
show more
Dr. phil., is a Professor of Fashion and Aesthetics at the Technical University of Darmstadt and Co-Principle Investigator of the project.
alexandra.karentzos@tu-darmstadt.de
show more
Elena Nustrini
M.A., is part of the research project as a Ph.D. student in Art History at the University of Arts, Berlin.
e.nustrini@udk-berlin.de
show more
M.A., is part of the research project as a Ph.D. student in Art History at the University of Arts, Berlin.
e.nustrini@udk-berlin.de
show more
Lizzy Rys
M.A., is part of the research project as a Ph.D. student in Art History and Fashion Studies at the Technical University of Darmstadt.
lizzy.rys@tu-darmstadt.de
show more
M.A., is part of the research project as a Ph.D. student in Art History and Fashion Studies at the Technical University of Darmstadt.
lizzy.rys@tu-darmstadt.de
show more
Tobias Scholze
studies Visual Communication at the University of the Arts Berlin and is a student assistant in the project team.
t.scholze@udk-berlin.de
studies Visual Communication at the University of the Arts Berlin and is a student assistant in the project team.
t.scholze@udk-berlin.de
Alicia Nischwitz
M.A., earned her Bachelor of Arts in German Studies and History in 2022 and her Master of Arts in History in 2024 at TU Darmstadt.
During her studies, she worked as a student assistant on the DFG project from December 2022 to March 2025.
alicia.nischwitz@stud.tu-darmstadt.de
M.A., earned her Bachelor of Arts in German Studies and History in 2022 and her Master of Arts in History in 2024 at TU Darmstadt.
During her studies, she worked as a student assistant on the DFG project from December 2022 to March 2025.
alicia.nischwitz@stud.tu-darmstadt.de
Guest Residencies
Two residencies are part of the project: Prof. Dr. Alejandra Uslenghi (Northwestern University, USA) and Prof. Dr. Rebecca Houze (Northern Illinois University, USA) are invited to accompany the project team for 14 days each. The residencies are meant to facilitate both exchange in terms of content as well as to develop the discussions in the focus areas, expanding them to other research perspectives. This is achieved through reading groups, workshops, and discussion forums with all those participating in the research project.
Publications
COMING SOON
The edited volume publication ‘A Unique Assemblage of All Things‘ – New Styles, Latin America, and Re-viewing Art and Fashion History of International and World Expositions will highlight the connections of art and fashion in the global context of the world’s fairs. Since there has not yet been any systematic examination of the concepts of modernity, globalization and of identity in art and fashion history, the publication will close this significant research gap and provide a foundational art historical investigation into these connections. It will bring together and in tension the proceedings of the two conferences held in Paris and Darmstadt respectively.
It is co-edited by the research project team – Alexandra Karentzos, Elena Nustrini, Miriam Oesterreich and Lizzy Rys – and will be the first issue in the newly established transcript publishers series “Entangled Art Histories“ (edited by Karentzos/Oesterreich)! With contributions by Paula Alaszkiewicz, Sandra Bornemann-Quecke, Rebecca Houze, Alida Jekabson, Laura Malosetti Costa, Laurens Dhaenens, Catherine Futter, Michele Greet, Clare Rose, Alejandra Uslenghi, Élodie Vaudry, and the editors.
The research project “A Critical Art History of International and World Expositions. Decentering Fashion and Modernities” funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft plans publications in the newly established series Entangled Art Histories (transcript publishing house, edited by Alexandra Karentzos and Miriam Oesterreich):
The edited volume publication ‘A Unique Assemblage of All Things’ – New Styles, Latin America, and Re-viewing Art and Fashion History of International and World Expositions will be co-edited by Alexandra Karentzos, Elena Nustrini, Miriam Oesterreich and Lizzy Rys. It will include contributions in the format of selected proceedings from the two study days De-/centering world’s fairs: Representing ‘Peripheries‘ in Arts and Fashion (UdK Berlin/DFK Paris, September 2023) and The Fashion of ‘Gesamtkunstwerk’: Decentering Art Nouveau Style at International Exhibitions (TU Darmstadt/Stiftung Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt, March 2024)
The monographic publication A Critical Art History of International and World Expositions. Decentering Fashion and Modernities will be co-authored by Alexandra Karentzos and Miriam Oesterreich. It will consist of four chapters
1. “De-/Centering World’s Fairs – Theories and Methods”
2. “Fashioning the World: Decentering Style and Modernity at World’s Fairs”
3. “De-/Colonial Modernities: Representing ‘Peripheries’ at World’s Fairs”
4. “A Critical Art History of International and World Expositions: Decentering Fashion and Modernities”
The dissertation publications of Elena Nustrini Kunst und Konstruktion ‚nationaler‘ Identität: Die Entwicklung des ‚regionalen Realismus‘ in Argentinien, 1860-1910 (working title) and Lizzy Rys Belgian Fashion at Belgian World's Fairs (1897-1913): A Critical Analysis (working title) will present the results of their doctoral research.
The edited volume publication ‘A Unique Assemblage of All Things’ – New Styles, Latin America, and Re-viewing Art and Fashion History of International and World Expositions will be co-edited by Alexandra Karentzos, Elena Nustrini, Miriam Oesterreich and Lizzy Rys. It will include contributions in the format of selected proceedings from the two study days De-/centering world’s fairs: Representing ‘Peripheries‘ in Arts and Fashion (UdK Berlin/DFK Paris, September 2023) and The Fashion of ‘Gesamtkunstwerk’: Decentering Art Nouveau Style at International Exhibitions (TU Darmstadt/Stiftung Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt, March 2024)
The monographic publication A Critical Art History of International and World Expositions. Decentering Fashion and Modernities will be co-authored by Alexandra Karentzos and Miriam Oesterreich. It will consist of four chapters
1. “De-/Centering World’s Fairs – Theories and Methods”
2. “Fashioning the World: Decentering Style and Modernity at World’s Fairs”
3. “De-/Colonial Modernities: Representing ‘Peripheries’ at World’s Fairs”
4. “A Critical Art History of International and World Expositions: Decentering Fashion and Modernities”
The dissertation publications of Elena Nustrini Kunst und Konstruktion ‚nationaler‘ Identität: Die Entwicklung des ‚regionalen Realismus‘ in Argentinien, 1860-1910 (working title) and Lizzy Rys Belgian Fashion at Belgian World's Fairs (1897-1913): A Critical Analysis (working title) will present the results of their doctoral research.
Press & Media
On the occasion of the opening of the current World Expo in Osaka, Japan, Miriam Oesterreich discusses the topic "Nabelschau der Nationen – Was erzählt die Expo über die Welt?" in the SWR Kultur radio program “Forum” (April 11, 2025)
Miriam Oesterreich in a Deutschlandfunk Kultur interview on the occasion of the opening of the current World Expo in Osaka, Japan and on the topic of the loss of significance of the world's fair exhibition format (April 12, 2025)
