Azoulay explains that imperialism aimed to make people forget their ancestral power and accept the imperial powers as their own. The plundering of art was not just about taking objects; it was primarily intended to destroy (the culture of) the communities from which these objects were taken. She argues that being a Western expert of African art, especially art from Congo, is a form of appropriation and further perpetuates the pillaging. While Matthieu and Ced’art raise concerns about how these artworks are displayed and boxed in museums, and detached from their original context, Professor Azoulay emphasizes that collecting art is an act of violence, as plundering enabled the history of art itself.
The conversation delves into the complex dynamics between plantations and museums in the West. Ced’art and Matthieu question whether conforming to the Western museum model perpetuates the system of objectification and whether they should apply the same model to the White Cube Lusanga.
One of Azoulay’s influential books Potential History: Unlearning Imperialism explores and challenges the dominant narratives of imperialism and offers a critical lens to dismantle and reimagine the power structures and knowledge systems that perpetuate colonial legacies.
"There is no other way to defeat imperialism, than to build your own world."
- Ariella Aïsha Azoulay
Throughout the book’s second chapter, “Plunder, Objects, Art, Rights”, Azoulay presents the significance of the Balot sculpture for the Pende community. She argues that, although its exact time of creation is unknown, the artifact provides a unique opportunity to engage with art practices that diverge from those typically associated with imperial art institutions. The sculpture served as a symbol of resistance and empowerment for the Pende community and held meanings that were known only to the Pende people themselves.
Azoulay argues that attempts to analyze it solely as a museal object would miss its true significance. The sculpture highlights the importance of understanding the broader context in which art is created and the systems of power it resists. In the 1970s, the sculpture was eventually sold to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, acquiring what Walter Benjamin referred to as "exhibition value". However, the significance of the sculpture lies beyond its display in a museum. It represents the determination of the Pende community to maintain their own modes of engagement with objects and their empowerment through art, away from the scrutinizing gaze of colonial powers.
Azoulay further argues that the critique of disciplines such as anthropology and art history often falls short in addressing the fundamental question of whether cultural artifacts belong in the museums and depositories where they are studied. These critiques aim to improve research methods within the disciplines themselves which, however, currently do not challenge the underlying issue of looting and appropriation. The imperial looting of indigenous art objects is inseparable from the destruction of political and cultural structures and the institutionalization of art as a separate realm, accessible only to certain privileged individuals. Imperial powers dissected different worlds to expand their capital, replacing community knowledge with commodified objects. Experts emerged, detached from the world they study, using imperial standards and procedures.
Looting lies at the heart of the formation of what is considered art in the modern context. Yet, it has been obscured and transformed into the history of collecting, allowing a simplified narrative of plunder to emerge as a secondary concern within the field. This enables those in power to continue studying, discussing, and trading objects to which they have privileged access, while excluding the majority of Africans from whose material worlds these objects were plundered.
Azoulay explains that the separation between historians and art historians further perpetuates this issue. Historians study the plunder of non-art objects and resources, while art historians focus on art objects, often neglecting the violent processes through which these objects were acquired. The discipline of art history prefers to cleanse objects from the meanings of plunder, reinforcing the notion of cultural property as separate from other forms of plunder.
Furthermore, there is a divide between scholars interested in labor and those interested in art. Studies of labor in African contexts often overlook the agency and skill of communities, reducing Africans to menial laborers. Art historians, on the other hand, tend to focus on individual artists without considering the broader proletarianization and forced labor experienced by communities.
It is essential to recognize that modern art is not merely a historical category but an imperial condition in which imperial violence is embedded. Understanding art as part of this condition allows us to acknowledge dichotomies within academic disciplines. It also emphasizes the need to care for and share a world with those who have been disconnected from us in time and space, such as the Pende people.
The scholar remarks that calls for restitution should prioritize the opposition to the extraction of worldly wealth, rather than focusing solely on discrete object repatriation. Looted objects must be recognized as relics of destroyed worlds, carrying the rights of those from whom they were taken.
The emergence of the category of "cultural property" in the discourse of restitution was tied to the institutionalized looting of non-European peoples' material culture. Violence becomes the form in which people share the world, and this violence must be acknowledged as the infrastructure of museums. To truly address the consequences of looting, we must go beyond the restitution of objects and consider the transformation of practices and engagement with objects, working alongside the communities affected by the plunder.
About Ariella Aïsha Azoulay
Ariella Aïsha Azoulay is an independent scholar and filmmaker known for her work in visual culture, photography, and political theory. She holds a Ph.D. in Visual Cultures from the University of Rochester and is currently a Professor of Modern Culture and Media at Brown University. Azoulay's research focuses on the politics of photography, the looting of artworks, imperialism, and postcolonialism. Azoulay's interdisciplinary approach challenges established narratives and advocates for decolonial and feminist perspectives. She is renowned for her critical engagement with the complexities of history, society, and visual culture, inspiring scholars, artists, and activists worldwide.
Ariella Aïsha Azoulay's website.
Sources
The text on this page draws from the following source:
Ariella Aïsha Azoulay, “Plunder, Objects, Art, Rights” in Potential History – Unlearning Imperialism, London: Verso, 2019.
Further reading and watching
Effiboley, Emery Patrick. "Reflections on the Issue of Repatriation of Looted and Illegally Acquired African Cultural Objects in Western Museums". Contemporary Journal of African Studies, vol. 7, no. 1, 2020, pp. 67–83.
Apoh, Wazi, and Andreas Mehler. "Mainstreaming the Discourse on Restitution and Repatriation Within African History, Heritage Studies and Political Science". Contemporary Journal of African Studies, vol. 7, no. 1, 2020, pp. 1–16.
Shaw, Thurstan. "The Contemporary Plundering of Africa’s Past." The African Archaeological Review, vol. 14, no. 1, 1997, pp. 1–7. JSTOR.
Films by Ariella Aïsha Azoulay
Critical Writing, Research and Theory, 2023 Infinity Award, ICP, 13-minute video on Azoulay's work
"Unlearning Our Settler Colonial Tongues", Ariella Aïsha Azoulay, Boston Review, 30 Nov 2021
"The Captive Photograph", Ariella Aïsha Azoulay, Boston Review, 23 Sep 2021
Plantations and Museums
“Part 3: The Plunder” is part of the series Plantations and Museums (2021), written and directed by CATPC, Renzo Martens and Jos de Putter. Narration and interviews by Matthieu Kasiama and Ced’art Tamasala. The series is a co-production of Pieter van Huystee Film and VPRO, in collaboration with CATPC and Human Activities, supported by the NPO-fund.
