Colonial Photos Reimagined: Zurich Exhibition Opens New Narratives

At Zurich's Rietberg Museum, a groundbreaking exhibition titled "Almost Paradise. Colonial Photography in Contemporary Art" invites visitors to look anew at the photographic legacy of the colonial era. Inspired by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's notion of moving beyond a single story, the exhibition features works from over twenty artists who engage critically with colonial-era photographs.

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When one stops believing in a single story, when one understands that there is never only one narrative, then a new space opens up, almost like paradise.

These images, some dating back to the mid-19th century when photography first arrived in Africa, were often employed to exoticize and Other populations under colonial rule. As photography historian Nanina Guyer notes, these archives, held by institutions like the Rietberg, reveal the complex and often ambivalent uses of early photographic technology. The exhibition's first section, "Metamorphoses," highlights artists who reinterpret these archives, filling in the gaps and offering visual counter-narratives.

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These images were often used to show the supposed otherness of the populations in the colonies.

This re-examination extends to the very captions accompanying the historical images. Guyer explains that by retouching these captions, the exhibition shifts focus from categorizing individuals by their supposed ethnic group (e.g., "Wolof woman") to seeing them as individuals. This approach, along with material reinterpretations like Vietnamese artist Dinh Q. Lê's installation using refugee family photos, encourages a more personal and nuanced engagement with history. The "Confrontation" section takes a more direct approach, deconstructing existing images to expose racial stereotypes.

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As they were disseminated in illustrated magazines, the captions played a particularly important role.

From a Swiss perspective, this exhibition is particularly relevant. Switzerland, while not a major colonial power, was involved in colonial ventures and holds significant archives. The Rietberg Museum's initiative to critically engage with these materials, using contemporary art to foster new dialogues, is a vital step in confronting a complex past. It challenges viewers to question the dominant historical narratives and recognize the agency and individuality of those depicted, offering a more complete and humanizing understanding.

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We only see the portraits, we look at the people and do not consider them as a 'Wolof woman', a representative of a population group, but as an individual.