Seth Siegelaub

How is Art History Made?

2011 / 2025

Color print on affiches paper
84,1 x 119 cm

Modified reprint
Edition of 1000

25 EUR

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Originally conceived in 2011, How is Art History Made? is a poster that interrogates the foundation upon which Art History sits. With a series of provocative questions, the poster discomfits the mechanisms underlying the construction of art's value and meaning. These questions were initially presented in six European languages, emphasizing the widespread nature of this inquiry.

The poster was produced anew in 2025 for the exhibition Flower Planet by Kosen Ohtsubo and Christian Kōun Alborz Oldham, marking a timely shift in context. The second edition features a Japanese translation, replacing the Dutch found in the original, in order to reflect the evolving nature of art's discourse as it finds new relevance in this exhibition.

The first iteration of this piece was unveiled at Kunsthalle Basel, where it was pasted throughout the city ahead of Art Basel in 2011. This initial presentation was followed by a panel discussion and an online forum hosted by the Stichting Egress Foundation Amsterdam, Siegelaub’s organizational platform that has supported his numerous projects throughout the years.

Designed by Siegelaub, the original poster has been thoughtfully adapted for this second edition by Christian Kōun Alborz Oldham. The Japanese translation was graciously facilitated by Minami Shimakage, Daniel Abbe, and Machiko Takahashi.

This new edition, produced in collaboration with Kunstverein Munich and with permission from the Stichting Egress Foundation Amsterdam, launches with an initial print run of 1,000 copies. These will be distributed around the city of Munich and complimentary copies will also be made available to Art History departments across universities in Germany, further expanding the conversation about how art history is made.