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Decolonial theory has gained much traction in the fields of art theory and curatorship in recent years. As key figures who partake in cultural production and circulation, artists and curators influence which narratives and histories are told, and how.

In this course, we will engage with the question of what a decolonial artistic and curatorial practice entails. We will begin by outlining the contexts and parameters of decolonization as an ongoing epistemic project that seeks to delink from what Walter Mignolo terms “the colonial matrix of power”. This will be followed by a closer look at contemporary artistic and curatorial strategies of reframing Western and Orientalist epistemologies, unsettling Eurocentric frames of reference, and imagining alternative aesthetic perspectives.

What role(s) can artists and curators play in questioning the neutrality of the archive/canon? How can they embrace alternative epistemologies to challenge neo-colonial forms of racism, privilege and oppression, while re-articulating marginalized experiences and silenced histories? How can they close the gap between policy and practice in Western art institutions, galleries and museum spaces, and how are non-Western art spaces and initiatives challenging normative artistic and curatorial practices? We will engage with these questions over the course of four sessions. Reading material and links to online resources will be provided.

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