November 6, 2022, 3pm
Mudam Luxembourg – Musée d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean announces The Radio Disaster Series: Colonialism in Camouflage, a public programme co-curated by the collective Beyond the post-soviet and Mudam. Decolonial thought will be the focus of this second installment of The Radio Disaster Series, which explores how it might be applied to critically examine and combat the perniciousness of imperialist and colonial discourse and actions in Europe and in post-colonial regions.
The first chapter is a reaction to the desire to acknowledge the persistence of imperial aggression in Central Eastern Europe, the Baltic States, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and elsewhere, as well as its effects on society and manifestation in the visual arts. Colonialism in Camouflage will launch in November 2022 and consist of a lecture by Epp Annus, a listening session, a close reading of a piece of art from the Mudam Collection, and two workshops.
The title of the program is taken from the book Soviet Postcolonial Studies: A View from the Western Borderlands (2018) by historian and author Epp Annus, who uses the phrase “colonialism in camouflage” to highlight various Soviet dominance methods that she views as disguising forms of colonialism. In response, the program aims to create a secure environment with the participants where theoretical and creative contributions, discussions, and debates will incorporate unique and shared recollections and stories as important sources of knowledge. This collective unlearning of the concepts and viewpoints founded in imperialism and permeating Western society is the goal of these learning opportunities.
Beginning in January 2023, the second chapter will elaborate on these ideas and concentrate on the ongoing effects of Western European colonization. This section, which was conceptualized by Mudam, will be curated by Line Ajan, Clémentine Proby, and Joel Valabrega.
Chapter I: Imperial violence and occupation in (post-)Soviet territories and beyond
November 6, 2022, 3pm, opening lecture
“Colonialism in camouflage and the subaltern who speaks: politics and resistance under Russian rule” by Dr. Epp Annus
Using case studies from the Baltic region and Ukraine, this session will take a postcolonial approach to discussing the history and legacy of the Russian empire and the Soviet Union. A debate between the audience and Epp Annus, Beyond the Post-Soviet will take place after it.
December 4, 2022, 2pm, listening session
“Are we post-colonial?”
In keeping with the “Are we post-colonial? ” series of writings by Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Post-Soviet space” (2005), the listening session is envisioned as a space for sharing knowledge of various forms of occupation—political, territorial, cultural, and ideological—and for rethinking frameworks for such an exchange. The invitees include curator and thinker Vasyl Cherepanyn, artist Lia Dostlieva, artist and curator Tatiana Fiodorova, and philosopher Renata Saleci. The audiences are requested to listen intently, and after the conclusion of the meeting, a casual assembly without microphones will be held in Mudam’s auditorium.
The full programme will be announced here.
Beyond the post-soviet
A non-hierarchical organization called Beyond the Post-Soviet developed in 2021 with the goal of creating and distributing knowledge about the geographical and cultural areas formerly known as “post-soviet space” and “post-socialist” nations. The group employs an affective research methodology and draws on a variety of sources of information, including theories, literary and artistic works, personal and communal histories, memories, and emotions. It brings together creators, philosophers, scholars, and curators based in and operating within various contexts.
Mudam Luxembourg – Musée d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean
3, Park Dräi Eechelen
L-1499 Luxembourg
Luxembourg
[email protected]