Reopening Museum in Antwerp: The Colonial Dark Side of the Museum Square

On 24 September, the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp was officially reopened by Flemish minister-president and minister of culture Jan Jambon. The museum announced a weekend of celebrations on the museum square. We find it inappropriate not to pay attention to the colonial shadow side of the square on the occasion of the reopening. We ask the Antwerp city council to finally work towards an official commemoration for the Congolese victims of the 1894 World Fair.

In 1885, the African continent was divided like a pie by European countries.  Belgium's King Leopold II was given the vast Congo as private property. That same year, Antwerp organised its first World's Fair. These exhibitions were a way to show off European technical progress and products and people from the colonies. The Antwerp World's Fair was repeated in 1894 and 1930.

Human Zoo on museum square

As the museum reopens after an 11-year renovation, we draw attention to the 1894 World's Fair. Back then, 144 black people were taken away by boat from Congo for the Congo pavilion of the Antwerp World Expo. A recreated Congolese village stood on the museum square. Once they arrived at the Scheldekaai, the black men and women were exhibited like animals in a zoo. This degrading mise-en-scène and barbarism was part of the colonial propaganda that was supposed to present a primitive image of Africans 'to be civilised'. In the 19th and 20th centuries, several Western countries organised human zoos that were visited en masse. This degrading phenomenon was downright racist and still shapes stereotypes today.

The 7 Dead of Antwerp by David Katshiunga

Until last year, the award-winning exhibition '100 x Congo. A century of Congolese art in Antwerp'. According to research by the museum, seven Congolese died at the World Expo. They were aged between 17 and 35 and lie with others in a mass grave in Schoonselhof cemetery. This is a forgotten tragedy in Antwerp's urban history.

Official commemoration

In recent years, Belgium has taken political steps to deal more critically with its colonial past. Several cities and municipalities in Flanders are opting for commemoration projects. We believe that Antwerp cannot be left behind. The city council should face up to Antwerp's colonial history and acknowledge the link between the port city's wealth and Congo. Indeed, Leopold II found loyal allies in Antwerp for his colonial project. Antwerp politicians and entrepreneurs shared in the huge profits from Congolese ivory and rubber. The two rubber companies ABIR and Anversoise were based in the city.

Since the summer, the connecting artwork 'The Long Hand' by Congolese artist Sammy Baloji has been showing off on the Scheldekaai. This is a prudent move by the city. But it is now time to move forward on the occasion of the museum's reopening by commemorating the victims of the human zoo - both those who were exhibited as well as those who died in Antwerp - in Antwerp. It is time to give the forgotten tragedy an official place in the city's remembrance policy almost 130 years after the fact. Place a commemorative plaque onthe museum square. Create an artistic place where city residents and visitors can come together and commemorate the Congolese. Proposals are on the table. They must now be taken seriously by the city council. And for that, we look especially to Mayor Bart De Wever and Alderwoman for Culture Nabilla Ait Daoud.

Initiators

Judith Elseviers, lawyer and decolonisation adviser

Nadia Nsayi, political scientist and author

Signatories

Bambi Ceuppens, researcher AfricaMuseum

Baudouin Mena Sebu, PhD student University of Antwerp

Ben Van Duppen, researcher University of Antwerp

Bitshilualua Kabeya, podcast host Menji and staff member decolonisation Avansa

Carolina Maciel de França, writer and performer

Charly Badibanga, host talkswithcharly

Chokri Ben Chikha, director Action Zoo Humain

Christophe Busch, criminologist

Dalilla Hermans, columnist, author and theatre maker

David Katshiunga, artist

David Van Reybrouck, writer

Don Pandzou, diversity expert and author 

Fleur Pierets, writer

Frank Van Laeken, journalist and author

Georgine Dibua, coordinator Bakushinta

Gilles Mbiye-Beya, podcast host KoolcastSport

Guido Totté, former staff member City of Antwerp

Gunilla de Graef, lecturer in intercultural communication and researcher on inclusion

Guy Poppe, journalist

Henk de Smaele, professor University of Antwerp

Herman Van Goethem, Rector of the University of Antwerp

Hind Eljadid, word artist

Ikrame Kastit

Ish Ait Hamou, writer

Jeroen Malaise, professor Royal Conservatory of Antwerp

Jeroen Olyslaegers, writer

Jihad Van Puymbroeck, co-chairman Hand in Hand against Racism

Kevin Absillis, senior lecturer University of Antwerp

Kris Smet, former VRT journalist

Kristien Hemmerechts, writer

Kristel Driessens, researcher at Karel de Grote Hogeschool

Lies Van Assche, artist, DOEK vzw

Lies Busselen

Lieven Miguel Kandolo, co-chairman Hand in Hand against Racism and author

Marie Antoinette Kumudidi Walo, social worker

Marius Dekeyser, coordinator Hand in Hand against Racism

Marnix Beyen, historian University of Antwerp

Matthias De Groof, professor University of Antwerp and researcher University of Amsterdam

Mathieu Zana Etambala, guest professor University of Ghent

Michel Kiyombo & Sofie Cloet, Human Sense Project

Mostafa Benkerroum, actor and theatre maker

Nina Henkens, coordinator of Kif Kif

Nyanchama Okemwa, collaborator Hand in Hand against Racism

Olivia Umurerwa Rutazibwa, political scientist, Londen School of Economics

Patrick N'siala

Paul Beloy Beloy, former football player and author

Rachida Lamrabet, lawyer and writer

Rian Koopman, volunteer DOEK vzw

Samira Azabar, sociologist and member of Boeh (Baas Over Eigen Hoofd)

Sandrine Ekofo, lawyer

Seckou Ouologuem, former city poet of Antwerp

Stef Van Bellingen, exhibition maker

Thomas Blommaert, publisher EPO

Tom Lanoye, writer

Tom Verlent, director of Stedelijk Lyceum Lange Beeldekens

Tracy Tansia, political scientist and writer

Tuly Salumu, columnist, writer and journalist

Victorine Mpanzu Kwamy, president student association AYÒ Belgium

Vincent Scheltiens Ortigosa, visiting professor University of Antwerp

Walter Zinzen, journalist

Willy Musitu Lufungula, sociologist and author

Wouter Hillaert, cultural journalist and lecturer of the Antwerp Conservatory of Music

Zahra Eljadid, visual artist

Zakayo Wandoloh, consultant Diversity & Inclusion

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