Unexpected Lesson

On 11th and 12th of June 2021, we start with the performative discursive event »UNEXPECTED LESSONS – Decolonizing Memory and Knowledge«. 

»The Western Archive is exhausted!« — Felwine Sarr. What can knowledge be today, beyond European knowledge systems? New perspectives and different questions are needed in order to break up colonial thought patterns and challenge Eurocentric, white views. We aim to negotiate these questions on the African continent and in Germany. Five thematic fields are in the foreground: decolonizing memory, decolonizing knowledge, the re-evaluation of objects from colonial contexts, empowerment by and opportunities of artistic perspectives, and questions about classical museum forms of preservation and presentation.

The programme will be held in English with German translation. — Only the panel Repenser l’historie d’art / Reconsidering Art History will be held in French with English translation.

Biographies of the participating artists and speakers can be found here

Friday, 11 June 2021

1.30 pm — Welcome Remarks Mahret Ifeoma Kupka, Isabel Raabe (Curators of UNEXPECTED LESSONS), Jim Chuchu, Njoki Ngumi (The Nest Collective), Chao Tayiana (Curators of the programme in Nairobi)

2.00 pm — Keynote Recreating Ecologies of Knowledge: Nana Oforiatta Ayim (writer, art historian, filmmaker)

2.30 pm — Keynote Music, Knowledge and Transmission: Felwine Sarr (Economist, Musician)

3.00 pm — Talk Epistemic shift in Memory and Knowledge Conversation with Nana Oforiatta Ayim and Felwine Sarr. Moderation: Aïcha Diallo (Cultural scientist)

4.00 pm — Sound Performance Elsa M’bala

4.30 — Break and Film A New England Document. By Che Applewhaite

5.00 pm — In Nairobi: Decolonization Labour is emotional Labour Vox Pops — Sentiments on the Street What I Felt / What I Said — Artistic Presentation Interactive Discussion

6.30 pm — Sound Performance Elsa M‘bala

7.00 pm — Break

7.30 pm — Artist Talk Who heals here? with Nathalie Anguezomo Mba Bikoro and Elsa M’Bala. Moderation Magnus Elias Rosengarten (Artist, writer)

8.30 pm — Performance Where is your Fire? Nathalie Anguezomo Mba Bikoro

Saturday, 12 June 2021

11.00 pm — Talk Black (European) Studies – Mapping Academia Natasha A. Kelly (Sociologist), Peggy Piesche (Cultural Scientist), Vanessa Eileen Thompson (Sociologist), Moderation: Mahret Ifeoma Kupka (Curator, art historian)

12.30 pm — In Nairobi: The Other Objects Renaming

1.00 pm — Break and Film Un-Documented: Unlearning Imperial Plunder by Ariella Aisha Azouley

2.00 pm — De-Westernization – On African Philosophy Digital Input with Nadia Yala Kisukidi (Philosopher)

2.30 pm — Performance – tbc

3.00 pm — Break

3.30 pm — Colonialities and Education in Museums Input Carmen Mörsch and Nora Landkammer (Cultural mediators and art educators)

4.15 pm — In Nairobi: The Other Objects A New Behaviour

5.00 pm — Break and Film a so-called archive by Onyeka Igwe

5.30 pm — Repenser l’histoire d’art / Re-considering Art History Bénédicte Savoy (Art historian), El Hadji Malick Ndiaye (Art historian, curator) Moderation: Ibou Coulibaly Diop (Literary scholar) — In French with English translation

7.00 pm — In Nairobi: Becoming Kaspale Performance Syowia Kyambi