ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book deals with art museums and their negotiation of state politics. It also deals with art museums located within the United States. The book presents a vivid picture of one individual, Donald Goodall, and his part in building one of the most respected public collections of Latin American art in the US. It addresses alternative museum models and creative ways of reimagining the art museum in response to the critical demands of artists, critics, and communities who wished to challenge outmoded or exclusive museum formats. The book discusses how the collecting and exhibition practices of Mexico's Museo de Artes Plasticas reveal the difficulties museums faced in negotiating political transitions and framing a vision of national identity that aligns with the government's cultural values.
