CONTESTED DESIRES: Constructive Dialogues - UK Exhibition Launch and Programme
CONTESTED DESIRES: Constructive Dialogues is an ambitious conversation between contemporary artists and the museums, archives and communities that shape our colonial histories.
From Europe to Africa and to South America, the artists explore complex and interwoven themes of identity, appropriation, power and memory. They ask what are the impacts of colonial heritage today and whose stories do we hear?
Rafael Guendelman Hales (Chile), Elisabeth Efua Sutherland (Ghana), Isaac Nana Opoku (Ghana), Andreas Mallouris (Cyprus), Maria Luigia Gioffre (Italy), Patrick Ziza (UK) and Paul Nataraj (UK), bring CONTESTED DESIRES to the North East of England for a special exhibition at the Great North Museum: Hancock. By inviting us to consider new perspectives on the legacies of Europe’s colonial past, they also look to the future and the choices to be made.
The UK exhibition and programme produced by D6: Culture in Transit is part of CONTESTED DESIRES, 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 sets out 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. Following residencies in Chile, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands and the UK, the artists will further develop their ideas during residencies at D6’s studios in Newcastle, connecting with local historians, museums, community organisations and audiences.
Clymene Christoforou, Director, D6: Culture in Transit: ‘In a world of protectionist national policies, cuts to international development funds and mainstream political rhetoric stoking division, we more than ever need conversations that navigate harmful and polarising acts and their far-reaching consequences. The CONTESTED DESIRES artists create bridges for us to reflect on how our contemporary culture and society is entangled with the power play and complexities of Europe’s colonial past. Through extraordinary artworks they capture diverse shared histories, standing in solidarity with those facing injustice, then and now.'
Malavika Anderson, Museum Manager at the Great North Museum: Hancock, said: 'At the Great North Museum: Hancock, we are delighted to be working closely with D6 to present this exhibition. Now, more than ever, it is crucial for us to reflect on and question our shared histories and their implications in today’s world. It felt very important for us to present this work in our museum, surrounded by objects and collections that in many ways symbolise the very questions that the artists have been working with.'
Image: 'Repetitions of 108- Counting almost nothing' (2024) Installation view at Southwark Park Galleries, London. Originally commissioned for Jerwood Survey III (2024-25), led by Southwark Park Galleries and supported by Jerwood Arts. Photo by Rita Silva
