Documenta 15 x The Black Archives
The Black Archives has been invited to participate in documenta 15. Documenta is seen as one of the most important art exhibitions and takes place every 5 year in Kassel, Germany. Our exhibition 'Interwoven Histories of Solidarity: Documenting Black Pasts & Presents' is part of the ‘Fridskul’ in the Museum Fridericianum, one of the oldest museums in the world.
Statement of solidarity (open letter, 10 September 2022): read the open letter "We are angry, we are sad, we are tired, we are united"
'Interwoven Histories of Solidarity: Documenting Black Pasts & Presents'
The Black Archives is a historical archive with a unique collection of books, documents, and artifacts documenting the histories and culture of Black Dutch emancipation movements, thinkers, and activists in the Netherlands and beyond. The stories rediscovered in the archive challenge normative historical narratives which tend to whitewash histories of colonialism, racism, imperialism and its legacies in present day societies. The stories uncovered in the archive also show histories of a Black radical tradition and stories of transnational solidarity. Histories which seemed isolated and disconnected are more interwoven than we may think.
Inspired by the practice of lumbung The Black Archives will share stories uncovered in the archive which show histories of a Black radical tradition and stories of transnational solidarity. We will present the international dimension of the stories of Black radical thinkers and activists Anton de Kom, Hermina & Otto Huiswoud. These histories seemed isolated and disconnected but are more interwoven than we may think.
Extra chapter Facing Blackness
For Documenta 15 The Black Archives developed an extra chapter of the exhibition ‘Facing Blackness: Visual Representations of Black People and Their History of Resistance’ which is on view at The Black Archives in Amsterdam. In this extra chapter we highlight the role of German missionaries in the European colonies such as Surinam, the history of scientific racism in Europe, imagery about Black people & resistance against it.
The exhibition at Documenta 15 includes art by: Raul Balai, Rossel Chaslie, Brian Elstak, Jaasir Linger, Iris Kensmil & Dion Rosina.
When? 18 June 2022 - 25 September 2022
Where? Fridskul, Fridericianum
More information and tickets via the Documenta website.
Exhibition and graphic design: Serana Angelista & Tyneisha van Veltum
Concept development: Jessica de Abreu & Mitchell Esajas
Production: Camille Parker, Gerardo Gomez Tonda, Hannah Rustomjee, Jomaira de Souza & Richard Weaver
Statement of solidarity (open letter, 10 September 2022): read the open letter "We are angry, we are sad, we are tired, we are united"
'Interwoven Histories of Solidarity: Documenting Black Pasts & Presents'
The Black Archives is a historical archive with a unique collection of books, documents, and artifacts documenting the histories and culture of Black Dutch emancipation movements, thinkers, and activists in the Netherlands and beyond. The stories rediscovered in the archive challenge normative historical narratives which tend to whitewash histories of colonialism, racism, imperialism and its legacies in present day societies. The stories uncovered in the archive also show histories of a Black radical tradition and stories of transnational solidarity. Histories which seemed isolated and disconnected are more interwoven than we may think.
Inspired by the practice of lumbung The Black Archives will share stories uncovered in the archive which show histories of a Black radical tradition and stories of transnational solidarity. We will present the international dimension of the stories of Black radical thinkers and activists Anton de Kom, Hermina & Otto Huiswoud. These histories seemed isolated and disconnected but are more interwoven than we may think.
Extra chapter Facing Blackness
For Documenta 15 The Black Archives developed an extra chapter of the exhibition ‘Facing Blackness: Visual Representations of Black People and Their History of Resistance’ which is on view at The Black Archives in Amsterdam. In this extra chapter we highlight the role of German missionaries in the European colonies such as Surinam, the history of scientific racism in Europe, imagery about Black people & resistance against it.
The exhibition at Documenta 15 includes art by: Raul Balai, Rossel Chaslie, Brian Elstak, Jaasir Linger, Iris Kensmil & Dion Rosina.
When? 18 June 2022 - 25 September 2022
Where? Fridskul, Fridericianum
More information and tickets via the Documenta website.
Exhibition and graphic design: Serana Angelista & Tyneisha van Veltum
Concept development: Jessica de Abreu & Mitchell Esajas
Production: Camille Parker, Gerardo Gomez Tonda, Hannah Rustomjee, Jomaira de Souza & Richard Weaver
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Statement of solidarity & open letter
Since the beginning the lumbung community of artists and collectives have been faced with unfounded accusations of anti-semitism, racism and discriminatory practices. The management of documenta 15 crossed another line with the creation of a "scientific" advisory panel. We refuse censorship, anti-Palestinian and racist practices and stand in solidarity with ruangrupa, our fellow artists, collectives and the brave Palestinian people. Read the open letter via E-Flux. |
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Ruangrupa & lumbung
Indonesia based artists’ collective ruangrupa is the Artistic Direction of documenta 15. They built the foundation of their documenta 15 on the core values and ideas of lumbung (Indonesian term for a communal rice barn). Lumbung as an artistic and economic model is rooted in principles such as collectivity, communal resource sharing, and equal allocation, and is embodied in all parts of the collaboration and the exhibition.
More information about lumbung
Indonesia based artists’ collective ruangrupa is the Artistic Direction of documenta 15. They built the foundation of their documenta 15 on the core values and ideas of lumbung (Indonesian term for a communal rice barn). Lumbung as an artistic and economic model is rooted in principles such as collectivity, communal resource sharing, and equal allocation, and is embodied in all parts of the collaboration and the exhibition.
More information about lumbung
19 June: Convo ‘Archives & libraries as sites of storytelling and community building’
The three lumbung artists Keleketla! Library, The Black Archives, and Asia Art Archive come together to imagine and activate libraries and archives as sites of storytelling and community building. The conversation will also invite other lumbung artists to share their stories and culminate into an after party with music selected by the participants.
When? 19 June 2022
Where? Fridskul, Fridericianum
Time? 4 - 6 PM
More info via Documenta 15 website.
The three lumbung artists Keleketla! Library, The Black Archives, and Asia Art Archive come together to imagine and activate libraries and archives as sites of storytelling and community building. The conversation will also invite other lumbung artists to share their stories and culminate into an after party with music selected by the participants.
When? 19 June 2022
Where? Fridskul, Fridericianum
Time? 4 - 6 PM
More info via Documenta 15 website.