The 4th International Symposium on the Theory of Contemporary Art under the title Permanency and Transience was held from January 20 to 22 in Mexico. The director this year was Pablo Helguera, and among the speakers were artists, critics and curators such as: Marina Abramovic, Dawn Ades, Alexander Alberro, Tania Bruguera, Roger Buergel, Thierry de Duve, Alison Gingeras, Massimiliano Gioni, Rose Lee Goldberg, Serge Guilbaut, Hans Haacke, Paulo Herkenhoff, Vasif Kortun, Donald Kuspit, Cuauhtémoc Medina, Shirin Neshat, Anri Sala and Robert Store. The encounter analyzed the application of the historical notion to different modalities having an influence on the current artistic practice. Three ways of approaching the relationship between history and contemporary art were taken into account. First, the way in which the texts on contemporary art history are approached and written. Second, the current variables, which change the understanding and assimilation of history (self-conscience of history, the creation of ephemeral or transient art). And third, the way in which history is affected by economic and historical processes, thus establishing or favoring certain types of art.