Postcolonial?
The House of European History explores Europe’s colonial legacy in its new temporary exhibition “Postcolonial?”
Starting with the structural foundations of European colonialism, going through how Europeans preserved power as their empires collapsed and in what manner that affected newly independent countries, the exhibition takes us to present times. It invites us to reflect on the ways colonial history still shapes life today.
Unique artworks, historical objects and personal stories accompany the visitor throughout this much-needed European reckoning with colonialism.
The History of Europe is not limited to the borders of Europe...the question of Europe is a world question
Inside the exhibition
8
Personal Stories
exploring the ways colonialism has shaped individual lives
195
Historical objects and documents
from the 7th century until today
25
Contemporary artworks
by artists engaging with the topic of decolonisation
4
Languages
English, Dutch, German, French
Introduction
Following the Second World War, colonial power seemed to crumble. From 1945 to the end of the twentieth century, more than 80 colonies overcame European rule and declared independence. After decades or even centuries of resistance to brutal oppression, their victories appeared to mark a decisive break with the past. But appearances can be deceiving.
How did the colonial matrix of power – the ideas, events, inequalities and injustices born of colonialism – continue to shape the modern world?
Exhibition sections
The exhibition has four parts:
-
Structural foundations of European colonialism
and its long history from the 1400s up to 1945
What are the defining structural features of colonialism? While each case of European colonisation has its own story, they all share common features. Being aware of the systemic features of colonialism makes it possible to recognise them in the present day.
Botanist Kid (Boy), 2024, CBE RA Yinka Shonibare (b.1962).
Acquired 2024. EU, EP, House of European History, Brussels.
© Yinka Shonibare CBE RA -
The End of Empire?
asks how Europeans preserved their power as their empires collapsed
In 1945, in the wake of the Second World War, Europe lay in ruins, and its power was crumbling. Surely, having fought to overcome Nazism and fascism, Allied nations could scarcely defend colonialism? For colonised peoples, it appeared that radical change was now possible.
Colonial Dress, 2008, Susan Stockwell (b.1962).
Acquired 2019. EU, EP, House of European History, Brussels.
© Susan Stockwell -
Between independence and true freedom
From the late 1950s, decolonisation gathered pace
In 1960 alone, 17 African colonies gained independence. These were exceptional moments of triumph, hope and pride. Yet, the euphoria many people felt was short-lived.
Luzia Inglês Van-Dúnem (a member of the Liberation Movement of Angola), 1968.
© Augusta Conchiglia 1968 -
What now?
To confront Europe’s colonial past is to see its traces everywhere today
Yet, wherever there is injustice, there is resistance. Within and beyond Europe, countless people are committed to change: artists, activists, researchers, educators, organisers and ordinary citizens, taking responsibility in their communities. They invite us to rethink what it means to be European, to look honestly at Europe’s place in the world, and to imagine new ways of being and living with one another.
Baga Nimba (Gold), 2019, Niyi Olagunju (b.1981).
Acquired 2020. EU, EP, House of European History, Brussels.
© Niyi Olagunju
Why this exhibition?
The House of European History, opened in 2017, has a mission and a responsibility to examine Europe’s history. Our current displays do not say enough about the ongoing impacts of colonialism. They neglect the voices of those who suffered and resisted colonial violence.
This exhibition marks the beginning of a journey for our team to address that shortcoming. The exhibition will be a catalyst to revise our displays throughout the rest of the museum.
Project Team
- Lead Curator and Project Leader
- Kieran Burns
- Curators
- Ayoko Mensah, Simina Badica and Joanna Urbanek
- Assistant Curator
- Elena Garcia Caffarena, Laura Coccia
- Personal Stories Curator
- Daphné Budasz
- Curator Trainees
- Helja Asadi-Gholami, Adrià Enríquez Álvaro, Hannah Savage, Emily Shoebridge Martín
- Production Manager
- Philippe Peyredieu du Charlat
- Learning & Outreach
- Mackda Ghebremariam Tesfau, Paul Grabenberger
- Collections - Conservator
- Vasileios Galanakos, Anke van Achter
- Collections - Assistant Loans
- Karolina Milkowska
- Collections - Registrar
- Vladimir Cajkovac
- Publication
- Stéphanie Gonçalves and Christine Dupont
- Communication & Partnerships
- Ana Salvador, Nicolas Withof
- Facilities, visitors services & IT
- Vito Maltese, Carlos Ibañez Fandos
- Finance
- Jasna Burn, Korana Matetić
To make this exhibition, we have worked with a panel of historians, researchers, activists, community leaders and other experts, as well as with people who have shared their personal experiences of colonialism, and the ways they have responded to it.
Personal voices in the exhibition
In total eight personal stories are presented with audio-visuals and related objects. They embody different perspectives on colonial history, its complexity and the divergences that arise.
- Uazuvara Ewald Kapombo Katjivena
- Lessons of humanity from a genocide survivor.
- Sabrina Tirvengadum
- Retracing identity through archives and AI.
- Yves Abibou
- A struggle for recognition of a massacre.
- Leah Latumaerissa
- A broken promise of the Dutch colonial army.
- Zohra Opoku
- Reuniting family through art
- Ilda Vaz
- Music becomes a tool of healing and resistance.
- Rahel Sereke
- Fighting for rights and against structural racism.
- Jacqui Goegebeur
- Colonial devastation of childhood and families.
Academic Advisory Group and Critical Friends
Central to the development of the temporary exhibition are the principles of academic independence and engagement with expertise. To this end, the House of European History has put in place a two-level advisory and review framework, consisting of a special working group of the Academic Committee of the House of European History, referred to as the “Advisory Group”, and a panel of “Critical Friends”, composed of eight outstanding academics and activists based across Europe.
Advisory Group
- Prof. Dr. Sharon MacDonald — Chair of Advisory Group
- Dr. Olivette Otele — Historian and distinguished research professor, School of Oriental and African Studies, London
- Prof. Dr. Paul Basu — Research Professor of the Transdisciplinary Research, University of Bonn
- Dr. Ghurminder K. Bhambra — Professor of Postcolonial and Decolonial Studies, University of Sussex
- Prof. Dr. Luisa Passerini — Professor of History at the European University Institute, Florence
- Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schmale — Professor for Modern and Contemporary History, University of Vienna
Critical Friends
- Professor Peo Hansen — Linköping University
- Professor Michael McEachrane — member and rapporteur of the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, in Sweden
- Professor Christina Roldão — University of Lisbon
- Dr. Margaret Ohia Nowak — Marie Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin
- Mitchel Esajas — Black Archives in Amsterdam
- Professor Valerie Rosoux — UCLouvain, Belgium
- Ines Mwedi Malila — Mémoires Coloniales, Belgium
- Mame-Fatou Niang — Carnegie Mellon University
Public Programme Circle
The Public Programme Circle (PPC) is a collaborative advisory and decision-making body created to co-design the public programme of this exhibition at the House of European History.
Discover more about the public programme around this exhibition (coming soon).
This exhibition uses images and objects from external archives and collections. Although we have made our utmost efforts to ensure all image rights are credited appropriately, please contact the House of European History in case of necessary modifications to the credits.