The Cosmologies of Objects - Think Tank & Exhibition

TALKING OBJECTS ARCHIVE is a digital platform for decolonial knowledge production that will be launched in December 2024. The archive, developed together with African Digital Heritage, is interested in poly-perspectivity and plural knowledge systems breaking with European epistemologies and schools of thought.
Starting with objects compiled from collections of European and African Museums the archive aims to fan out a polyphonic universe of knowledge. Objects are thus made to speak and serve as door openers to enable a different form of relating.
In the course of the development of the digital archive, scholars, artists and other experts are invited to come together during three think tanks held in Dakar (May 2023), in Frankfurt (July 2024) and in Nairobi (December 2024).

The think tank in Frankfurt taking place from 3 July - 6 July deals with the cosmologies of objects and investigates their materiality, spiritual meanings and their manifestations as gendered objects. Artists and researchers from Senegal, Kenya and Germany are invited to reveal the knowledge stored in objects.

The accompanying exhibition “The Cosmologies of Objects” at Villa 102 shows artworks developed by Adam Yawe, Élise Fitte-Duval and Karwitha Kirimi during the TALKING OBJECTS ARCHIVE residency programme.

The Think Tank and exhibition are curated by Mahret Ifeoma Kupka and Isabel Raabe.

Pulblic Programme at Villa 102

Cosmologies of Objects 
Opening Exhibition 
03.07.2024, 18:00 
with works by Adam Yawe, Élise Fitte-Duval and Karwitha Kirimi 
Please register via link below

Pulblic Programme at Museum für Angewandte Kunst

Talking to Objects
A performative conversation with objects from the collection hosted by Aisha Camara (Moderatorin, Frankfurt) 
04.07.2024, 19:00

Researchers from different disciplines as well as the public are invited to share their experience and thoughts on objects.

Listening to Objects 
Round Table Talk, Film Screening & Poetry
06.07.2024, 15:00-17:00 

What can objects tell us about gender roles? Can objects lose their spirituality or can other objects take their place? And how does materiality behave in digital space?

15:00
The Spirit of Objects, Introduction Isabel Raabe & Mahret Ifeoma Kupka (Curators TALKING OBJECTS)
Becoming Kaspale, a film by Syowia Kyamabi 

15:30
3 Sessions on Materiality, Gendered Objects & Spirituality 

17:00
Muuga? Grief is a portal; bring your heart, I'll bring water
Poetry by Karwitha Kirimi

The think tank will be held in English.
 

About Talking Objects

TALKING OBJECTS is funded by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media/BKM, the KfW Stiftung, the Federal Foreign Office, the Goethe-Institut and the Heinrich Böll Foundation. TALKING OBJECTS THINK TANKS are developed and implemented in cooperation with the KfW Stiftung.v

Talking Objects Team
Jasmin Anna Awale, Celina Baljeet Basra, Denhart von Harling, Carina Herring, Kylie Kiunguyu, Robin Coenen, Mahret Ifeoma Kupka, Mutanu Kyany’a, Chao Tayiana Maina, Mῡthoni Mwangi, Malick Ndiaye, Njoki Ngumi, Jeanne Mizero Nzakizabandi, Malkia Okech, Wairimῡ Nduba, Cheryl Ogada, Isabel Raabe, Erik Stein, Danielle Rosales

Image Credits

01. Installation view „Talking Objects. The Cosmologies of Objects” at KfW Stiftung, Villa 102, 2024, © KfW Stiftung, Photos: Jens Gerber

02. Workshop Talking Objects at KfW Stiftung, part of Talking Objects Think Tank, 2024 © KfW Stiftung, Photos: De-Da Productions

03.-05. Exhibition Opening „The Cosmologies of Objects” at KfW Stiftung, Villa 102, part of Talking Objects Think Tank, 2024 © KfW Stiftung, Photos: De-Da Productions