Why did Modernist artists become interested in art from non-Western cultures?

Modernist artists became interested in art from non-Western cultures primarily because they sought to break away from traditional Western artistic conventions and establish a new aesthetic for the 20th century.1

This interest was driven by several key factors:

• Search for Pure Plasticity: Western critics and artists admired the art of non-Western and nonindustrial cultures, such as those from Africa, for its perceived "pure plasticity"—a focus on formal elements like shape, line, and color rather than representational content.1
• Rejection of Tradition: Eager to move beyond the "incidental anecdote" of representational art, Modernists viewed the simple, geometric, and flattened forms found in non-Western artifacts (such as African masks) as a radical, advanced departure from Western academic standards.1
• Nostalgia and Spirituality: This interest was also fueled by a sense of nostalgia for a pre-modern era, where humans were imagined to have lived more spiritually and in harmony with nature.1

While these artists admired the aesthetic qualities of these works, they often disregarded their original cultural meanings. This engagement was deeply intertwined with the context of Western colonialism, which facilitated the acquisition of these objects by Western museums.21