tell them we said no
Thousands upon thousands of objects from Africa, Oceania, Australia, Asia and America collected since the 16th century are now kept in Berlin. Provided with an inventory number as proof of ownership, some of them are exhibited in showcases together with fellow fates. But most of the objects remain locked away in the depots, waiting for the day when
they are rediscovered by a scientist or repaired by a restorer. These objects tell individual, collective, local and global stories. They tell about the context in which they were created, used, then collected, classified and placed in display cases. More than representing the spirit of a society, they are also a remnant of it all and the cruelties that have been done by the europeans.
Let’s imagine a utopia: All things looted from former colonial territories were precisely assigned to their origin and the necessary
storage places were provided. All things could constructively return to their origin. What should remain here? Memories of unforgettable misdemeanours.
The concept for the newly opened collection of the ethnological museum at the Humboldt Forum, created in winter 2021, is intended as an invitation to rethink fundamentally about the ethnological museum beyond the sporadic restitution services and, if necessary, to make radical decisions. The design presents possibilities a museum has to remember objects when they are no longer on site. On the way to a end of the ethnological museum, the draft creates transitional stages that would come along with the necessarily long process of comprehensive provenance research. While some exhibits have already been brought to their origins, their transport boxes return to continue telling their stories in the future — especially of their history and there cultural significance that must always be told along with them. Now the transport boxes become actors in the museum and tell about their experiences — what they‘ve seen and been through along the way.
As exhibition displays, they can be used in many different ways. The transportation boxes tell stories, they are in motion and stand for change. They contain, protect or destroy the aura of the objects and potentially hold many possibilities for the transmission of knowledge beyond the hegemonic narrative.
* This exhibition concept and its design are based on the utopian idea that a return of all looted objects to their respective regions of origin is possible and desired by their owners. It is well known that this cannot be the case without restrictions due to the course of history. Nevertheless, we believe that radical impulses can lead to productive solutions.
Concept in cooperation with Lia Lisa Bach, Lea Meister and Sarah Tribula