Not Done Yet

History reflects society’s values and is constantly changing. In this context, a visualisation of German colonial history and the way it intertwines with the histories of other European colonial powers is vital. The starting point for the exhibition “Not done yet.Colonial Continuities” was a Peruvian silver bowl that came into the possession of Prince Johann Moritz von Nassau-Siegen (1604-1679) as a result of the transatlantic slave trade.

In 1658, he donated it as a baptismal font to the Protestant parish of Siegen, where it is still used today. How do echoes of the colonial era still impact our usage and perception of objects?

Artists Mariana Castillo Deball, patricia kaersenhout and Anina Major explore this question, examining the continuing influence of colonial structures in our society, as well as conceivable forms of artistic self-empowerment. Their sculptures, videos and drawings reveal such continuities in diverse ways. Art emerges as an anchoring point for the handling of contradictions and the creation of a space for more diverse perspectives and experiences.