It is of crucial importance to address the legacy of European colonialism. This requires socially effective strategies aimed at long-term decolonisation. Artistic and participatory approaches and measures can help shape these processes in order to promote a resilient culture of remembrance.
On 15 March 2025, the Dynamic Memory Lab ‘Cycles of Decolonisation’ was opened by its curators Cátia Severino and André Soares.
The interactive exhibition confronts visitors with the legacy of European colonialism and its contemporary manifestations. Courier drivers served as an analogy in order to show how contemporary economic systems reproduce colonial dynamics. Artistic positions by Clara Laila Abid Alsstar, Muhammet Ali Baş, Ibou Diop, Eşim Karakuyu, Cássio Markowski, Dan Thy Nguyen, Jonas Weber-Herrera and other artists from the CPPD network highlight key elements of colonisation such as racialisation, silencing and erasure, dehumanisation and violence, denied memory and displacement. In their opening speeches, the curators contextualised the exhibition’s content while Dr Ibou Diop connected the exhibition to the work of civil society actors.
The Dynamic Memory Lab is open to the public until Sunday 23 March 2025, daily from 10 am to 6 pm, in the park of the Villa Elisabeth, Invalidenstraße 3, 10115 Berlin.
The network meeting on 15 March 2025 was part of the European Congress and brought together various actors from Germany and Europe who are active in the field of remembrance. A resource mapping exercise showed the need for networking and initiated synergies between the participants. Participants also discussed the challenges and opportunities of building a resilient culture of remembrance.
On 14 March 2025, the event „…The Times they are A-Changing’“ held at the Studio Я of the Maxim Gorki Theatre, was dedicated to the European turning point and discussed ways of resistance.
Noa K. Ha spoke about the ethical dimension of remembrance culture and the need to establish a fundamental relationship between remembrance culture and resistance. Gilda Sahebi underlined the importance to not forget the majority groups in society when discussing the culture of remembrance. Cátia Severino emphasized the crucial link between remembrance culture and remembrance work. This work has not ceased or failed albeit the strengthening of the right-wing backlash in Europe, but needs to be further developed. The panel was moderated by Max Czollek. Keynotes by Johanna Korneli and Jo Frank and artistic contributions by Ricardo Domeneck and Zselyke Z. Tárnai framed the event.
The event opened the European Congress of the CPPD and was organised in cooperation with the Maxim Gorki Theatre.
