Dimension scores are derived from public data and fields; weighted into the composite. Reference only.
FORMER WEST is a long-term transnational project organized and coordinated by BAK, basis voor actuele kunst. It was positioned as a contemporary art research, education, publishing, and exhibition project, running from 2008 to 2016. The current website primarily functions as an online archive, publicly presenting materials from its research trajectory, including lectures, interviews, research gatherings, seminars, and exhibitions.
From an education/course perspective, it is not an online course platform in the traditional sense. It does not offer a clear syllabus, class schedule, assignments, quizzes, or certificate system. Its core value lies in providing dense theoretical materials around the political, cultural, and economic changes after 1989 and their impact on the “West” and contemporary art. Sections include Research Congresses, Research Exhibitions, Research Seminars, Education Platform, Research Library, Research Interviews, Research Lectures, and more, making it suitable as a research-oriented learning resource.
The website archive is described as publicly accessible in the text, which can be understood as open access. The project’s final publication, Former West: Art and the Contemporary After 1989, was edited by Maria Hlavajova and Simon Sheikh and published by BAK and MIT Press. It can be ordered through MIT Press; the collected content does not provide specific pricing or payment methods.
Its strengths are its clear academic focus, rich variety of materials, and organization by an institution with a background in contemporary art, making it well suited to serious research. Its discussion of the concept of the “former West” has considerable theoretical depth and can serve as a reference for art theory, curatorial studies, and cultural politics research. The limitations are also clear: the project has ended, and the platform is more of an archive than an educational service. It lacks learning paths, certificates, interactive support, and beginner-friendly guidance, making the barrier to entry relatively high for general learners.
It is better suited to art school students, researchers, curators, learners of cultural theory, and those looking for materials on contemporary art and global political contexts after 1989. The collected text does not provide information on access from mainland China, so it is not possible to determine whether it can be accessed directly. Actual access testing is recommended.
⚠ This review is compiled from public sources and does not constitute a purchase recommendation. Verify all facts on the vendor's official site. Verify on formerwest.org official site.
formerwest.org is an Netherlands Resource Sites provider. TG4G tracks its product information, an overall rating of 6.0/10, and a China-accessibility score of Workable. Click "Visit Official Site" to reach formerwest.org directly.