"Monumental Shadows" is an artistic exploration of colonial heritage and the current culture of remembrance.
The pilot project was carried out in Berlin in summer 2021 and was divided into four parts, so-called “Shadows”. In various formats, the traces and effects of colonialism that continue to have an impact today were scrutinised.
The starting point is the experience that German colonialism is often trivialised in public discourse. It therefore lies in the shadows for many people and at the same time casts a long shadow over the lives of many.
In Shadow#1, the Berlin Bismarck monument was collaboratively moulded with paper over the course of weeks and this shell was then symbolically removed from its pedestal. The moulding became part of an urban performance in Shadow#2.
Participating artists included Daniela Medina Poch, Juan Pablo García Sossa, Thomias Radin, Jumọke Adeyanju, Natisa Exocée Kasongo, Delawhere and João Albertini.
The project was initiated by the artist duo Various & Gould and was created in collaboration with Colonial Neighbours, a project by SAVVY Contemporary.
The project was funded by the Senate Department for Culture and Europe and the Berlin Project Fund for Urban Practice, with the kind support of Zapf Umzüge.
Accessibility:
Location:
There was a ramp for wheelchair users to enable access to the area at the Bismarck National Monument.
Language:
There was information in plain language at the memorial. On 21.08.2021 there was a deaf sign language interpreter on site from 12:00 – 15:00. On the day of the performance, a tactile tour for people with blindness and visual impairments was offered by a blind inclusion expert; DGS translation was offered at the panel, but there were no registrations for this.
Website:
The website is equipped with texts in easy-to-read language and DGS videos.