Making Space, Changing Space: Black People and New Museums

This chapter focuses on the experience of being in ruins and how Black creative work brings to life the question of existential being. It examines the two sides of existence in which decolonial aesthetics represent both being in a place and the condition of those denied full humanity. The chapter reflects on the Black individual, who, as an outsider made of “Black matter,” does not belong in the modern Western world. This individual is considered part of the mess of Blackness. The chapter places Black creative culture in the context of these ruins, showing how it allows Black creators to explore their identity beyond colonial boundaries. In this place, being in ruins creates new, complex existential ideas that turn the Black body into flesh. The chapter unpacks these ideas, presenting the Black body as one deeply connected to dark matter, representing the ruins of modernity—Blackness.

Being in the Ruins

2024

Frantz Fanon and Mary Sibande

2024

Curatorial practice is deeply connected to how nations and empires are imagined. It involves documenting history, managing archives, and curating exhibitions that represent lived experiences. However, this practice often focuses on Eurocentric ideas of beauty, which exclude Black lived experiences. This chapter examines how contemporary curatorial practices create divisions of inclusion and exclusion, drawing on Frantz Fanon's idea of a divided world. These practices often silence marginalized voices and are influenced by racist attitudes that exclude Black experiences. Decolonial curatorial interventions, inspired by Fanon, challenge the ways curators ignore the dehumanization of Black subjects. The chapter argues for decolonizing curatorial practices to democratize knowledge and reclaim Black identity. It also explores the similarities between curatorial practices and universities as systems that reinforce these divisions.

From S.E.K. Mqhayi to Dumile Feni

2024

This chapter focuses on two creative intellectuals, S.E.K. Mqhayi and Dumile Feni, who, despite living in different eras and practicing different art forms, were both affected by colonialism's “cultural bomb.” Drawing on Arthur A. Schomburg's idea that understanding African history is essential for understanding the present and future of Black people, the chapter explores how both Mqhayi and Feni resisted the notion that African people have no history or intellectual contributions. The chapter examines how these two figures used their creativity to challenge colonialism and reimagine African history as a space for resistance, memory, and reclaiming African identity. Ultimately, the chapter questions the role of African history in the decolonization process.