“Decolonial Expressions”, an exhibition committed to the decolonization of thought
At the History Museum of the City of Nantes, an exhibition entitled “Decolonial Expressions” is causing a sensation. This museum, which is dedicated to the memory of the slave trade, took the initiative of giving voice to African artists and historians with the aim of revisiting the collections and decolonizing thought and imagination.
The idea for this exhibition was born from reflection on the old documents present in the museum. These documents conveyed a representation, an ideology and a vision of the other, which were more powerful than anything the museum officials could say or do. This is how the idea came to systematically invite a historian from the African continent and African artists in order to compare their knowledge and their arts with the pieces inherited from the Nantes slave traders.
This year, the Cameroonian historian François Wassouni was invited, as well as the artists Barthélémy Toguo, Kara Walker and Jean-François Boclé. Together, they used the museum collection as a basis to create works and discourses that highlight the issues of colonization and decolonization.
For example, Jean-François Boclé’s work entitled “Outre memoire” looks specifically at the Code Noir, a set of laws governing the condition of slaves, written under Louis XIV. This work reminds us that the history of trafficking has not been adequately taught in the education system, and aims to challenge official representations and narratives.
The objective of these artists and historians is not to deconstruct history, but rather to co-construct a shared and universal history. They seek to give voice and representation to people who have long been denied a voice in traditional historical storytelling.
The “Decolonial Expressions” exhibition is a real call to rethink our relationship with history and to become aware of the mechanisms of domination and exclusion that have been perpetuated for centuries. It opens new perspectives and encourages intercultural and interdisciplinary dialogue on questions of colonization, decolonization and identity.
By giving voice to African artists and historians, the Museum of History of the City of Nantes provides a platform to challenge dominant historical narratives and to reveal alternative and more inclusive perspectives. A visit to this exhibition offers an enriching and stimulating experience that broadens our understanding of history and contributes to the struggle for the decolonization of thought.