The role of art in the shadow of imperialism

Talk: Lina Hashim & Anna Kledal, moderated by Prince Henry Kwesi Asare.

How does history shape our gaze — and can art help to liberate it?

Europeans' worship of, and view of, the “Orient” has for centuries often been marked by fascination, sometimes by fear—but almost always with an inherent asymmetry in the power relations. Historical heritage is not just a matter of works of art of the past; it continues to leave its imprint in political discourses, cultural representations, and collective notions of “the others.”

In this talk, artist and performer Lina Hashim meets author, art historian and PhD in Gender and Orientalism Anna Kledal to investigate aesthetics, power and identity in the past, present and future. \ *
Through Hashim's artistic practice — where gaze, faith, body and ritual are closely intertwined — a discussion opens up about how contemporary art can challenge the traces of imperialism that still cast shadows into the present. With an art historical perspective, Kledal unfolds the historical context and focuses sharply on the ideas and notions that shaped the images of Orientalism. The conversation is moderated by
community debater, presenter, moderator and consultant: Prince Henry.

From here, the conversation moves into our common contemporary -- a political landscape characterized by cultural dominance, global inequality and new forms of ideological imperialism. Why does the struggle against imperialist structures seem to repeat itself over and over again? And what role does art play in the encounter with these power structures — as a critical voice, activist tool, or poetic counterexample to stereotypical narratives and entrenched notions? \ **