Art is Globalized in Three Ways:

1. The art world - the organizations comprising the art world (galleries, museums, schools) are now part of a global economic and cultural system.

2. As a subject of art - globalization and its effects have been a frequent subjects of artists' work since the last century.

Example: Surrealists Map of the World

3. In art history - critiques of the Western-focused art cannon challenges what we think of as "art" and highlights the ways in which forms of art from non-Western nations has been either ignored and degraded or incorporated or co-opted without recognition and understanding.

Ignored/Degraded

• Historically, art centers of the world are in Western nation cities.
• The art and artists (The Great Masters) who tend to be recognized are from Western nations.
• "Art" objects (artifacts) from non-Western worlds were seen as anthropological evidence, not "art" per say. This is changing, as more museums incorporate non-Western art into their collections.

  Incorporated/Co-opted

• Borrowing aesthetic styles, shapes and forms from other cultures, particularly "uncivilized" cultures.
• It should be pointed out that this interest in African art was not accompanied by any real understanding of the people who made it, or their reasons for making it.

  Example: Gauguin in Tahiti

  Example: African masks and Picasso

  Example: Matisse in Africa
  

Primitivism (Guggenheim Collection Online)

• Western Europe, late 19th century
• Modern art that alludes to specific stylistic elements of tribal objects and other non-Western art forms.
  

Some characteristics of primitivism: (Wikipedia)

1. Fascination with taboo/marginalized topics (sexuality, madness, spiritual punishment, violence).

2. Celebration of the "unconscious."

3. Abstraction of the figure, inspired by non-Western arts, particularly African masks.

4. Focus on rhythmic and percussive elements, especially in music.

5. Overt sexuality.

6. Flatness and geometric designs inspired by non-western arts.

7. Application of paint in a rough, manipulated style.

Critique of Primitivism: (Wikipedia)

• Simplistic understanding of other cultures.
• Perpetuated misunderstanding of the multitude and diversity of non-western societies - see all as the same.
• Justifications of European colonialism.
• Conduit and excuse for "primal" impulses of the artists.
  

Primitivism and Globalization: the attitudes toward "primitive" cultures lingered and are reflected in the modernization projects of Western nations, including development communication programs.

Source and further reading: Tate Museum