Handle with care: post_colonial object matters

More about the book

The zine "Handle with Care: Post_Colonial Object Matters" emerges from dynamic discussions aimed at rethinking post-colonial object matters. It compiles insights from a workshop titled “un_doing post_colonial knowledges: perspectives from academia_arts_activism,” held at the University of Bayreuth in July 2019, organized by Manuela Bauche, Katharina Schramm, and Nadine Siegert. The zine addresses the colonial legacies and decolonial responsibilities of ethnographic museums, shifting the focus from institutional and legal restitution concerns to broader, more provocative questions. It aims to ignite a conversation about postcolonial justice that decentralizes European museum and university institutions. Key inquiries include the potential for establishing future-oriented relationships post-restitution, the engagement with "loaded" objects, and creating new platforms for welcoming these objects back to Africa. The zine encourages a dialogue that integrates critical perspectives from art, academia, activism, and museum practices, fostering responsible engagement with colonial histories and their material and immaterial legacies. Contributions come from a diverse group of voices, enriching the discourse on these pressing issues.