Colonial Photography in Focus

During the Fellowship this year, we explored how colonial photography is not just an image, but also a tool of power — shaping collective memory and sustaining oppressive systems.

In Module 2, Dr. Kokou Azamede led a deep dive into these visual archives, asking how we can confront and reinterpret them today. We also visited the exhibition “Looking Back” in Treptow, which re-examines colonial-era photographs and their legacies in the present. These photographs are part of intertwined, contested histories. By revisiting and reframing them, we open space for new narratives, critical dialogues, and creative resistance.

Our conversation about photography will continue in Module 3, with a presentation from the founders of Artawi Gallery in Addis Ababa, exploring how contemporary artists respond to and transform these legacies.

Special thanks to A'ja Dotson, who beautifully documented Module 2 and deepened our discussions with her expertise in unpacking the power dynamics between the person behind and the person in front of the camera.

Want to learn more? Start with Dr. Azamede’s essay “𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘚𝘶𝘣-𝘚𝘢𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢” or take a closer look at the Museum Treptow-Köpenick. You can also listen to the audio guide #zurückERZÄHLT, a decolonial audio walk through Treptower Park.