Numerous fascinating testimonies of other cultures in Europe's ethnological collections date from the colonial era. Are these colonial traces a “sensitive legacy” today?
Only after 1884 did Germany maintain colonies in Africa, Oceania and China, which were revoked at the end of the First World War. The exhibition shows over 200 ethnological objects from the former German colonies. They were brought to Europe to document cultural differences. What fascinated the collectors in the colonies? How were the impressive exhibits acquired?
There are exciting stories behind the collections: Colonial officials, settlers, travellers, business people or researchers acquired them in a variety of ways. Some pieces were bought or traded, others captured in combat. The exhibition sheds light on the different circumstances of their acquisition and traces the objects' route to the museum.
Colonialism is a worldwide phenomenon that has endured to the present day. Contemporary works by a group of artists from Hawai'i take a critical look at the island chain's post-colonial situation. The works, most of which are being shown in Germany for the first time, bear witness to the consequences of the historical events that can still be felt today.
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