The general aim of this essay is to define concepts and circumstances related to an intellectual and artistic condition often referred to as ”relativism”. This involves political and ethnical problems as well as the explanation of hermeneutics, semiotics, semiology, structuralism and poststructuralism. The author suggests a ”new” pragmatic or non-essentialist theory of art and art historical writing. This is not a theory of definite truths. Rather it is an investigation of discourses according to which interpretations and art histories are made. The ”end of art history” is discussed and the habit of separating ”hermeneutical” and ”structuralist” readings is criticized. The author also describes contemporary artists who subvert the limits of art practice.