Meena Kandasamy contemplates the Mithuna couple, a 17th century ivory sculpture from Tamil Nadu, India. Starting from this depiction of lovers, the author unfolds a multilayered narrative that moves in several directions through images, questions, and contradictions.
"How can we look at this piece without talking about who created it?" she asks, examining how caste and class are as indelibly etched into the object as its physical details. This awareness complicates the seemingly straightforward associations of "love" that the sculpture might evoke. Meena Kandasamy refuses to idealise or exoticise the carving, instead linking it to personal and political narratives: Who is allowed to love whom? She contrasts the intimate with the institutional in order to challenge concepts such as decolonisation, restitution, and preservation. Through a striking blend of styles - Twitter, academic discourse, poetry, memoir - she engages in a dialogue with the object: forwards, sideways, backwards.
Part of the series Objects talk back, published by the Humboldt Forum Foundation in the Berlin Palace.
Meena Kandasamy is a poet, novelist and translator. Her work focuses on the militant resistance against caste, gender, and ethnic oppressions. She explores this in her books of poems such as Touch (2006) and Ms. Militancy (2010), as well as her three novels, The Gypsy Goddess(2014), When I Hit You (2017), and Exquisite Cadavers (2019). Her novels have been shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, the International Dylan Thomas Prize, the Jhalak Prize and the Hindu Lit Prize. The Book of Desire, her translation of the love poetry of the 2000-year-old Tamil classic Tirukkural was published in 2023.
Meena Kandasamy betrachtet das Mithuna-Paar, eine Elfenbeinskulptur des 17. Jahrhunderts aus Tamil Nadu (Indien). Ausgehend von diesem Liebespaar entfaltet die Autorin eine vielschichtige, in mehrere Richtungen gehende Erzählung aus Bildern, Fragen und Widersprüchen.
„Wie können wir dieses Werk betrachten, ohne darüber zu sprechen, wer es geschaffen hat?“ fragt sie und untersucht, wie Kaste und Klasse ebenso unauslöschlich in das Objekt eingraviert sind wie seine physischen Details. Dieses Wissen erschwert die einfachen Assoziationen von „Liebe“, die durch das Paar hervorgerufen werden können. Meena Kandasamy weigert sich, die Schnitzerei zu idealisieren oder zu exotisieren und verbindet sie mit persönlichen und politischen Geschichten: Wer darf wen lieben? Sie stellt das Intime dem Institutionellen gegenüber, um Begriffe wie Entkolonialisierung, Rückgabe und Bewahrung zu hinterfragen. Durch einen erstaunlichen Stilmix – Twitter, akademischer Diskurs, Poesie, Memoiren – führt sie einen Dialog mit dem Objekt: vorwärts, seitwärts, rückwärts.
In der ReiheObjekte widersprechen, herausgegeben von der Stiftung Humboldt Forum im Berliner Schloss.
Meena Kandasamy ist Dichterin, Romanautorin und Übersetzerin. Ihr Werk konzentriert sich auf den militanten Widerstand gegen die Unterdrückung durch Kaste, Geschlecht und Ethnie. Sie erforscht dies in ihren Gedichtbänden wie Touch (2006) und Ms. Militancy (2010) sowie in ihren drei Romanen The Gypsy Goddess (2014), When I Hit You (2017) und Exquisite Cadavers (2019). Ihre Romane standen auf der Shortlist u.a. für den Women’s Prize for Fiction und den International Dylan Thomas Prize. The Book of Desire, ihre Übersetzung der Liebeslyrik des 2000 Jahre alten tamilischen Klassikers Tirukkural, ist 2023 erschienen.
“Most of the time, it is the power of men that we remember.” With these words, which open Léonora Miano’s text forObjects Talk Back, an astonishing new narrative unfurls around Mandu Yenu, a throne from the ancient Kingdom of Bamum (present day Cameroon).
The Germans long claimed the object was a gift from King Njoya to Kaiser Wilhelm II. Miano reads “between the lines of beads and cowrie shells” to show the complex intricacies of colonial and gender relations. Dismissing all pretense of egalitarianism between colonizer and colonized, she hones in on the very nature of power—how and by whom it is defined-wielded-subverted.
King Njoya said he “felt like a woman in his relationship with the Germans.” Miano takes this as a prompt to examine contrasting cultural notions of femininity and thus reveals how central women are to the story of the throne. As the very name of the object suggests, it is the power of women we should remember.
Series Objects talk backpublished by Stiftung Humboldt Forum im Berliner Schloss.
Born in Cameroon, Léonora Miano lives and writes between continents: in her country of origin, France, and in Togo. Her novels, plays and essays have won numerous awards. Most recently, her celebrated work Season of the Shadow was published in English by Seagul Press.
»Meist ist es die Macht von Männern, an die erinnert wird.« Mit diesen Worten eröffnet Léonora Miano ihre Erzählung um Mandu Yenu, einen Thron aus dem alten Königreich Bamum (heute Kamerun). Lange war das Objekt als »Geschenk« von König Njoya an Kaiser Wilhelm II. bezeichnet worden. Miano zeigt »zwischen den Zeilen von Perlen und Kaurimuscheln« die komplexen Verwicklungen von Kolonial- und Geschlechterbeziehungen auf. König Njoya sagte, er fühle sich »in den Beziehungen zu den Deutschen wie eine Frau«. Davon ausgehend untersucht Miano die unterschiedlichen kulturellen Vorstellungen von Weiblichkeit und die zentrale Rolle der Frauen für die Geschichte des Throns. Schon der Name des Objekts bezeugt: Es ist die Macht der Frauen, an die wir uns erinnern sollten.
In der ReiheObjekte widersprechen, herausgegeben von der Stiftung Humboldt Forum im Berliner Schloss.
Geboren in Kamerun, lebt und schreibt Léonora Miano zwischen den Kontinenten: in ihrem Herkunftsland Frankreich und in Togo. Ihre Romane, Theaterstücke und Essays wurden mit zahlreichen Preisen ausgezeichnet. Zuletzt erschien auf Deutsch im Aufbau Verlag ihr gefeiertes Werk Sisterhood – ein leidenschaftliches Plädoyer für eine neue weltweite Solidarität unter Frauen und eine faszinierende Reise zu den Ursprüngen eines anderen Feminismus.
Having recently accepted German citizenship, writer and activist Priya Basil explores the Humboldt Forum from a deeply personal perspective. She delves into the question of what such a building, such a project, means for an understanding of the past and our sense of belonging in the present. This much disputed, contested, celebrated monument now exists—but what exactly does it monumentalize? “In German the word Schloss means a palace, and also a ‘lock.’ The central question: Can a lock also be a key?”
Series Objects talk backpublished by Stiftung Humboldt Forum im Berliner Schloss.
Priya Basil is a writer and curator. Her published work includes novels, non-fiction, essays, plays and short stories. In her book, Be My Guest, she combines her Indian-Kenyan-British-German heritage with philosophy, food and politics to make a passionate plea for hospitality in its broadest sense. She is co-founder and board member of WIR MACHEN DAS, an NGO that works with refugees and migrants for a more inclusive society. She is also on the advisory board of the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights.
Das zum Auftakt derReihe Objektewidersprechen von Priya Basil betrachtete Objekt ist das wiederaufgebaute Berliner Schloss. Die Schriftstellerin und Aktivistin erkundet das Gebäude aus einer sehr persönlichen Perspektive – sie hat erst kürzlich die deutsche Staatsbürgerschaft angenommen. In ihrem Essay geht sie der Frage nach, was ein solcher Bau, ein solches Projekt für das Verständnis der Vergangenheit und die Zugehörigkeit in der Gegenwart bedeutet. Das vielfach umstrittene, umkämpfte, gefeierte Monument ist nun Realität – aber was genau monumentalisiert es? Das deutsche Wort »Schloss« bezeichnet einen Palast, aber auch einen Verschluss oder Riegel. Die entscheidende Frage lautet: Kann ein Schloss auch ein Schlüssel sein?
In der ReiheObjekte widersprechen herausgegeben von der Stiftung Humboldt Forum im Berliner Schloss.
Priya Basil ist Schriftstellerin und Kuratorin. Ihre Veröffentlichungen umfassen Romane, Sachbücher, Essays, Theaterstücke und Kurzgeschichten. In ihrem Buch Gastfreundschaft verwebt sie ihre indisch-kenianisch-britisch-deutsche Biografie mit Philosophie, Essen und Politik zu einem leidenschaftlichen Plädoyer für die Gastfreundschaft im weitesten Sinn. Sie ist Mitbegründerin und Vorstandsmitglied von WIR MACHEN DAS, einer NGO, die gemeinsam mit Menschen mit Migrations- und Fluchtgeschichte für eine solidarischere Gesellschaft arbeitet. Außerdem ist sie Mitglied des Beirats des European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights.
The Palace of the Republic was the building that most exemplified political power in East Germany. Built from 1973 to 1976 in the middle of Berlin, the state and cultural
centre was the seat of the Volkskammer (parliament) as well as a meeting place with event and gallery spaces, restaurants, a theatre, discotheque, and bowling alley.
The first freely elected Volkskammer convened there in March of 1990. Shortly thereafter, the building was closed because of asbestos contamination. In the
early 2000s, the shell was successfully used for cultural purposes but demolished nonetheless not much later. Today, the Humboldt Forum stands in its place. Yet the
palace remains present in many people’s memories.
This volume explores aspects such as closeout sales, construction site, ghosts, Glass Flower, Global South, identity, interim use, lighting system, Marx & Engels,
palaces of culture, reconstruction, Stasi, and more. Recent research, artistic contributions, and personal interviews open new perspectives. The Palace of the
Die Publikation „Hin und weg. Der Palast der Republik ist Gegenwart“ betrachtet den Palast der Republik als gesamtdeutsches Thema. Von der Architektur über die Baugeschichte bis hin zu künstlerischen Positionen und Forschungsarbeiten bietet dieses Buch eine umfassende Untersuchung des Palastes.
Das Buch sammelt eine Vielzahl von Perspektiven unterschiedlicher Menschen, die direkt oder indirekt mit dem Palast verbunden waren, und ermöglicht es so, dessen Geschichte aus verschiedenen Blickwinkeln zu betrachten. Es enthält Beiträge renommierter Autor*innen wie Victoria Helene Bergemann, Aron Boks und Gesine Danckwart sowie Wissenschaftler*innen wie Hanno Hochmuth und Ilko-Sascha Kowalczuk. Diese Mischung aus persönlichen Erzählungen und wissenschaftlichen Essays eröffnet neue Diskurse und macht das Thema für ein breites Publikum zugänglich. https://www.yumpu.com/de/document/view/68688830/hin-und-weg-der-palast-der-republik-ist-gegenwart Ergänzt werden die Texte durch eindrucksvolle Fotoarbeiten unter anderem von Tobias Kruse und Nikolaus Becker sowie innovative Grafiken von Johanna Benz und Tiziana Beck (graphicrecording.cool), die das visuelle Erlebnis des Buches bereichern.
Dieses Buch ist ein unverzichtbarer Bestandteil jeder Sammlung zur Geschichte und Architektur der DDR.
Naga country. Voices from Northeast India Published by the Humboldt Forum Foundation in the Berlin Palace German and English edition, 96 pages, paperback, 26.5 x 21.5 cm, Deutscher Kunstverlag, Berlin 2023, EUR 22 The Naga form a minority in Northeast India and in north-west Myanmar - and at the same time consist of over thirty different ethnic groups, that is three to four million people with numerous languages.
How do they manage to preserve their traditional traditions and integrate them into today's changed lifestyles - with modern tattoos, fashion and social media? Authors from Nagaland describe different facets of their current and past culture and shed a new light on the Naga collection of the Ethnological Museum in Berlin, which has been supplemented with contemporary objects.
Naga country. Voices from North-East India Published by the Stiftung Humboldt Forum im Berliner Schloss English edition, 96 pages, softcover, 26.5 x 21.5 cm, Deutscher Kunstverlag, Berlin 2023, 22.- Euro The Naga represent a minority in north- eastern India and north-western Myanmar – yet comprise more than thirty ethnic groups with an overall population of three to four million speaking numerous languages. How have the Naga managed to preserve their traditions and customs and integrate them in today's lifestyle changes - with modern tattoos, fashion and social media?
Describing facets of their culture as it is lived today and relating them to the past, writers from Nagaland make the collection of Naga artefacts at the Ethnological Museum in Berlin, now supplemented by contemporary exhibits, appear in a new light.
Against the Current. The Omaha, Francis La Flesche, and his Collection Published by the Stiftung Humboldt Forum im Berliner Schloss English edition, 128 pages, softcover, 26.5 x 21.5 cm, Deutscher Kunstverlag, Berlin 2023, 22.- Euro The collections of the Ethnological Museum in Berlin house around sixty objects from the Omaha of North America that were assembled by the indigenous ethnologist Francis La Flesche around 1895 on behalf of the Royal Museum of Ethnology. It was a time of upheaval, when the lives of the Omaha were marked by loss of land, racism, and violence.
The effects can still be felt today. This book offers insight into the life and work of La Flesche and the process of organizing the exhibition Against the Current. The catalog of objects written by Francis La Flesche is being published here for the first time.
Ancestors, goddesses and heroes. Sculptures from Asia, Africa and Europe Published by the Humboldt Forum Foundation in the Berlin Palace German and English edition, 96 pages, paperback, 26.5 x 21.5 cm, Deutscher Kunstverlag, Berlin 2023, 22 euros Protect, heal or punish – people from different times and backgrounds ascribed these powers to the images that are being presented here together for the first time:45 objects, created between the 4th and 19th centuries, convey living evidence of the ever-present human need for protection and orientation in overcoming individual or societal crises.
They stand for the existence of an invisible world of goddesses and gods, spirits or ancestors who helped to create a tangible connection between this world and an"other reality"and gave inspiration for one's own life.
Ancestors, goddesses and heroes. Sculptures from Asia, Africa and Europe Published by the Humboldt Forum Foundation in the Berlin Palace German and English edition, 96 pages, paperback, 26.5 x 21.5 cm, Deutscher Kunstverlag, Berlin 2023, 22 euros Protect, heal or punish – people from different times and backgrounds ascribed these powers to the images that are being presented here together for the first time:45 objects, created between the 4th and 19th centuries, convey living evidence of the ever-present human need for protection and orientation in overcoming individual or societal crises.
They stand for the existence of an invisible world of goddesses and gods, spirits or ancestors who helped to create a tangible connection between this world and an"other reality"and gave inspiration for one's own life.
Ancestors, Goddesses and Heroes. Sculptures from Asia, Africa and Europe Published by the Stiftung Humboldt Forum im Berliner Schloss English edition, 96 pages, softcover, 26.5 x 21.5 cm, Deutscher Kunstverlag, Berlin 2023, 22.- Euro To protect, heal or punish – These are the powers that peoples of radically different ages and places of origin ascribed to the images that are here presented alongside each other for the very first time.
The forty-five objects created between the fourth and nineteenth centuries are a vital attestation of the ever-present need for protection and orientation in times of crisis, whether at the personal or the social level. They stand for the existence of an invisible world of gods, spirits and ancestors that helped forge a palpable link between the here and now and a different reality as well as providing inspiration for the life of each and every individual.
What the Humboldt Brothers have to do with the Humboldt Forum.
Alexander and Wilhelm von Humboldt are the namesakes of the Humboldt Forum. Their biographies, works, points of view, as well as the circumstances in which they lived build a compelling relationship with the Humboldt Forum - starting with the brothers' early lives, growing up near the palace and the royal family. Their later travels, Alexander's nature studies, and Wilhelm's language studies not only illuminate the"interconnected system of nature and culture", they often prove to be astonishingly relevant:What does language mean for living together in a society? In what ways do we acquire knowledge and what responsibilities come with this knowledge? How do we address the colonial contexts of the past as well as of the present?
The Humboldt brothers' insights about the interconnected world, the spirit of their research, their curiosity and their cosmopolitanism inspire the Humboldt Forum's artistic and scientific programme. This book connects the works of the brothers with the cultural institution named after them - and dares to take a new look at these two famous scholars' wide-ranging cosmos of ideas through text and image.
Prestel Verlag, 2022, English edition, paperback, brochure with flaps, 128 pages, 12 x 22 cm, 60 color illustrations, ISBN EN 978-3-7913-7955-5
What the Humboldt brothers have to do with the Humboldt Forum. Alexander and Wilhelm von Humboldt gave the Humboldt Forum its name.
The brothers' biographies, their works and views, but also the circumstances in which they moved, create a tense relationship to the Humboldt Forum - beginning with their growing up together near the palace and the royal family.
Her later travels, Alexander's nature and Wilhelm's language studies illuminate the"intertwined system of nature and culture"and often prove to be incredibly topical:What does language mean for living together in the community? In what ways do we acquire knowledge, and what responsibility does this knowledge entail? How do we deal with colonial conditions in the past and present? The knowledge of the Humboldt brothers about the networked world, their spirit of research, their curiosity and cosmopolitanism inspire the artistic and scientific program of the Humboldt Forum.
This book connects the work of the brothers with the cultural site named after them - and dares a new look at the wide-ranging cosmos of thought of the two famous scholars in texts and pictures.
Prestel Verlag, 2022, German and English edition, paperback, brochure with flaps, 128 pages, 12 x 22 cm, 60 color illustrations, ISBN DE 978-3-7913-7954-8
A Japanese tea house, an audio installation with sounds of Nigeria, a two-part flagpole made of bronze:Numerous, often large-scale works of contemporary art can be discovered throughout the spacious displays at Berlin's Humboldt Forum. Works by artists from different cultures around the world enrich the collections shown in the exhibitions of the Ethnological Museum, Museum of Asian Art, and the Federal State of Berlin. In addition, seven works of Kunst am Bau (art in architecture) have been realized at the Humboldt Forum. They concern themselves with the location's history and the Humboldt Forum as a site representing the world, encouraging encounters and exchange, or paying tribute to the Forum's namesakes, the brothers Wilhelm and Alexander von Humboldt. This book presents selected works of art in informative, richly associative texts and impressive photographs. Together they offer entirely new insights into the diverse voices that make up the Humboldt Forum cultural venue.
A Japanese tea house, a sound installation with Nigerian sounds, a two-part bronze flagpole:numerous works of contemporary art, some of which are expansive, can be discovered on the vast areas of Berlin's Humboldt Forum. In the exhibitions of the Ethnological Museum, the Museum of Asian Art and the State of Berlin, works by artists from different communities enrich the collections. In addition, seven works of art were realized in the Humboldt Forum, which deal with the history of the place, with the Humboldt Forum as a"place in the world", encounter and exchange or the namesake, the brothers Wilhelm and Alexander von Humboldt, appreciate. This book presents selected works of art in informative and associative texts as well as impressive photographs and thus offers completely new insights into the many-voiced cultural location Humboldt Forum.
Published by the Humboldt Forum Foundation in the Berlin Palace.
The successful exhibition from Canberra is coming to Berlin:Discover the origin of Australia first-hand based on one of its central creation stories! Conceived and realized by an Indigenous Board of Trustees in cooperation with the National Museum of Australia and the Australian University, the volume takes us into the impressive world of songlines. Songlines are cultural routes that criss-cross Australia. In stories, songs, ceremonies or rock paintings they tell of the legend of the seven sisters who created the country on their journey. They are reflected in the landscape and star constellations and are carriers of knowledge of indigenous culture that is essential for survival. Using the example of the songlines of the Seven Sisters, the richly illustrated volume tells a lively story about the rules of coexistence, the mapping of the rights of Indigenous Australians and the responsibility for their country.
3,000 figurative sculptures and reliefs 22,000 sandstone blocks 750 Meters of Restored Facades 3.5 million bricks
Encounter the architecture and sculptural work of Andreas Schlueter's masterful façades and those of his successor Eosander von Göthe in breath-taking new photographs by Leo Seidel:the restored Berlin Palace in the center of the capital is both a monument to the Baroque building and a vibrant new city complex for culture. With the palace, the urban reference point for the historic center of the city between the boulevard Unter Den Linden and the Spree Island has returned. The magnificent photographs and multifaceted texts by authors who, as participants in this major project, look behind the scenes, tell of the diversity and significance of the Baroque sandstone façades, their technical and handcrafted reconstruction, and the architectural conception of the building.
Published by Humboldt Forum Foundation in the Berlin Palace
Contributions by Hans-Dieter Hegner, Kathrin Lange, Bernd Wolfgang Lindemann, Franco Stella, Peter Stephan, Bernhard Wolter
3,000 figurative sculptures 22,000 sandstone workpieces 750 meters of restored facades 3.5 million bricks
The architecture and sculpture of the masterful facades of Andreas Schlueter and his successor Eosander meet in breathtaking new photographs by Leo Seidel:The resurrected Berlin Palace in the center of Berlin is both a monument to the baroque building and a lively new urban district for culture. With the castle, the urban reference point for the historic center of the city between the boulevard Unter den Linden and the Museum Island returns. The magnificent photographs and the multifaceted texts by authors who, as participants in this major project, look behind the scenes, tell of the diversity and importance of the baroque sandstone facades, their technical and craft reconstruction and the architectural conception of the building.
Published by the Humboldt Forum Foundation in the Berlin Palace
Text contributions by Hans-Dieter Hegner, Kathrin Lange, Bernd Wolfgang Lindemann, Franco Stella, Peter Stephan, Bernhard Wolter
Addressing colonial history and (post)colonial continuities is a major challenge for the Humboldt Forum, and will decisively shape the activities of this cultural institution. This volume features essays and conversations of prominent museum experts from around the world who have supported and advised the Humboldt Forum in its development. Through their statements, they take part in international discussions such as the intense debate about provenance and restitution of ethnological collections. Includes contributions from George Okello Abungu (Nairobi), Kwame Anthony Appiah (New York), Philipp Blom (Vienna), Hartmut Dorgerloh (Berlin), Rita Eder (Mexico City), Hu Wei (Shanghai), Jyotindra Jain (New Delhi), Lars-Christian Koch (Berlin), Lee Chor Lin (Singapore), Neil MacGregor (London), Natalia Majluf (Lima), Wayne Modest (Amsterdam), Nazan Ölçer (Istanbul), Barbara Plankensteiner (Hamburg), Thomas Thiemeyer (Tübingen) , and Abdoulaye Toure (Dakar).
Published by Humboldt Forum Foundation in the Berlin Palace
Dealing with colonial history and (post)colonial continuities is one of the major challenges of the Humboldt Forum. It will decisively shape the work of this cultural institution. In this volume, prominent, globally active museum experts who accompanied the Humboldt Forum in its creation have their say. With their contributions, they take part in international debates, such as the passionate debate about the provenance and restitution of ethnological collections. With contributions by George Okello Abungu (Nairobi), Kwame Anthony Appiah (New York), Philipp Blom (Vienna), Hartmut Dorgerloh (Berlin), Rita Eder (Mexico City), Hu Wei (Shanghai), Jyotindra Jain (New Delhi), Lars-Christian Koch (Berlin), Lee Chor Lin (Singapore), Neil MacGregor (London), Natalia Majluf (Lima), Wayne Modest (Amsterdam), Nazan Ölçer (Istanbul), Barbara Plankensteiner (Hamburg), Thomas Thiemeyer (Tübingen) , Abdoulaye Toure (Dakar).
Published by the Humboldt Forum Foundation in the Berlin Palace
