01.04.25, 20:30, Palimpsest of the Africa Museum (2019)

What is a palimpsest, you ask? A palimpsest is a piece of parchment on which a new text has been written over an earlier, now illegible one. Much can be said about the previous version of the AfricaMuseum. That it perpetuated a colonialist ideology, for example. In this documentary, we follow the process that led to the reopening of the museum in 2018. The ethics of a museum are examined in words and images: what is the exact function of displaying foreign objects and treasures for an audience? Who is watching whom here? And whose story is being told here? The hot topic of decolonisation is explored in lively debates with activists, academics, curators and other parties involved.

After the screening, the Curatorial Studies students will engage in a dialogue with director Matthias De Groof.