Objects can tell histories, depending on how they are placed in a room and the context they are given.
When it comes to colonial history, museums can foster and sustain narratives about the past, contributing to shaping collective memories over time.
The work of Laurent Licata within the CONCILIARE team at ULB is focused on understanding what should be changed in the way history is told inside a museum. This happens not only with research, but also through collaboration and dialogue with institutions such as the AfricaMuseum in Tervuren, and the African Museum in Verona.
Once we start identifying what is problematic and tell these histories from a critical and decolonial perspective, it’s possible to transform collective memory with confidence for future generations.