Medieval and Renaissance artists moved from court to court. Artists as well as their works migrate from city to city, taking up residencies, setting up stall in the art fairs and museums of the world. Everywhere is local, everywhere is international. Ten days ago a show of works by artists shortlisted for a new European art prize, the Vincent, was launched at the Bonnefantenmuseum in Maastricht in Holland. The winner will be announced in September.
Cities are more important in Europe than countries.
The Vincent is a terrific group show, even though the artists were not selected with a theme in mind. You can lie on a couch, hear unseen voices, feel that you are projecting your own fantasies. Bamgboye will be seen at Tate Britain next month, in a show called Intelligence. The Vincent is more about the long-term vitality of an artist's work than it is about the novelty of this year's model. The show reflects this, even though Ahtila and Bamgboye have yet to develop a mature style.