In the lecture Decoloniality, students at the International Institute of Social Studies strip down colonial power relations in art. ‘Our Western society is rooted in coloniality and it affects the global society.’
As part of its 'In the lecture hall' series, Erasmus Magazine recently joined a lecture on coloniality at the International Institute of Social Studies.
Hosted by Professor Rosalba Icaza, the lecture by guest lecturer Dr Rolando Vásquez from the University of Utrecht, asked how coloniality can be recognized to break through the colonial power relationship in art. He argues that recognizing coloniality in art is mostly about what you don't see because the practice of colonialism lies mainly in the erasure of the historical context.
At the end of the lecture, students discuss what they could do to decolonise aesthetics. 'We need to break the concept of universality', says one student. 'Exactly, because universality is a Western narrative. With that, the West determines what is beautiful and what is not', Vázquez responds. 'If we give a stage to non-Western narratives, we can create a world where different art forms and beauties coexist.'
Read the full article in Erasmus Magazine - 'ISS students learn about colonial power in art during lecture Decoloniality', EM, 14 March 2023.
- Related links
- MA in Development Studies
