Contested Desires: Constructive Dialogues
The doors to CONTESTED DESIRES: Constructive Dialogues opened this summer at the Great North Museum: Hancock. It has been such a joy to welcome the artists to Newcastle and see the exhibition come to life.
As ever, the biggest of thanks to the artists Andreas Mallouris, Elisabeth Efua Sutherland, Isaac Nana Opoku, Maria Luigia Gioffrè, Patrick Ziza, Paul Nataraj and Rafael Guendelman Hales.
The exhibition opened on 16 July with welcome words from the museum's Manager Malavika Anderson and D6's Director Clymene Christoforou, followed by a spoken word performance by Paul Nataraj.
From Europe to Africa to South America, the artists explored complex and interwoven themes of identity, appropriation, power and memory. They invited us to consider new perspectives on the legacies of Europe’s colonial past.
D6, the artists and partners continued the conversation at a conference 'Let's Talk about Decolonisation' at the Word in the South Shields.
The exhibition and programme is part of CONTESTED DESIRES: Constructive Dialogues, a large-scale cultural project exposing the problematic legacy of European colonisation found in museums and heritage sites, aiming to encourage a deeper understanding of colonialism and its legacies.
CONTESTED DESIRES aims to facilitate environments of care where artists, partners and communities can be supported to reveal and challenge the colonial roots of many of today’s global injustices. Prior to the exhibition, the artists took part in residencies at D6’s studios in Newcastle to develop their artworks in the context of the North East and connect with local audiences.
Partners and funders
CONTESTED DESIRES is co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union. In the UK we are grateful for support from Arts Council England, Paul Hamlyn Foundation and the Newcastle Cultural Investment Fund.
Special thanks to the Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle University, Sangini, South Tyneside Cultural Partnership, Tyne Coast College and North East of England African and Caribbean Community Association for supporting the exhibition and programme in the UK.
D6: Culture in Transit is part of CONTESTED DESIRES: Constructive Dialogues, an international programme with 22 artists and 20 arts and heritage partners across Chile, Cyprus, Ghana, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Tunisia and the UK.
Find out more about CONTESTED DESIRES here.
Image credits:
Artworks: Rafael Guendelman Hales, I search for signs with my ears | Elisabeth Efua Sutherland, Esusuansu (As With Rivers) | Andreas Mallouris, Bodies | Paul Nataraj, We found each other | Isaac Nana Opoko, Tapestry of Encrypted Memories (Dirty Laundry) | Patrick Ziza, Tracepace | Maria Luigia Gioffre, Waiting Wars, Chapter III. Photos: Amelia Read
As ever, the biggest of thanks to the artists Andreas Mallouris, Elisabeth Efua Sutherland, Isaac Nana Opoku, Maria Luigia Gioffrè, Patrick Ziza, Paul Nataraj and Rafael Guendelman Hales.
The exhibition opened on 16 July with welcome words from the museum's Manager Malavika Anderson and D6's Director Clymene Christoforou, followed by a spoken word performance by Paul Nataraj.
From Europe to Africa to South America, the artists explored complex and interwoven themes of identity, appropriation, power and memory. They invited us to consider new perspectives on the legacies of Europe’s colonial past.
D6, the artists and partners continued the conversation at a conference 'Let's Talk about Decolonisation' at the Word in the South Shields.
The exhibition and programme is part of CONTESTED DESIRES: Constructive Dialogues, a large-scale cultural project exposing the problematic legacy of European colonisation found in museums and heritage sites, aiming to encourage a deeper understanding of colonialism and its legacies.
CONTESTED DESIRES aims to facilitate environments of care where artists, partners and communities can be supported to reveal and challenge the colonial roots of many of today’s global injustices. Prior to the exhibition, the artists took part in residencies at D6’s studios in Newcastle to develop their artworks in the context of the North East and connect with local audiences.
Partners and funders
CONTESTED DESIRES is co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union. In the UK we are grateful for support from Arts Council England, Paul Hamlyn Foundation and the Newcastle Cultural Investment Fund.
Special thanks to the Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle University, Sangini, South Tyneside Cultural Partnership, Tyne Coast College and North East of England African and Caribbean Community Association for supporting the exhibition and programme in the UK.
D6: Culture in Transit is part of CONTESTED DESIRES: Constructive Dialogues, an international programme with 22 artists and 20 arts and heritage partners across Chile, Cyprus, Ghana, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Tunisia and the UK.
Find out more about CONTESTED DESIRES here.
Image credits:
Artworks: Rafael Guendelman Hales, I search for signs with my ears | Elisabeth Efua Sutherland, Esusuansu (As With Rivers) | Andreas Mallouris, Bodies | Paul Nataraj, We found each other | Isaac Nana Opoko, Tapestry of Encrypted Memories (Dirty Laundry) | Patrick Ziza, Tracepace | Maria Luigia Gioffre, Waiting Wars, Chapter III. Photos: Amelia Read
