Contested Desires: Constructive Dialogues

Contested Desires: Constructive Dialogues is a project funded by the European Union’s Creative Europe program. The consortium, which transcends European borders, has D6:EU, Xarkis (Cyprus), Interarts and La Bonne (Spain), H401 and Creative Court (Netherlands), MUNHAC (Portugal), Pro Progressione (Hungary), La Fabrique (Tunisia), BJCEM (Belgium), MUCIV, Egyptian Museum and ECCOM (Italy) as lead partners. European Capital of Culture Larnaka 2030, Laboratory of Art History and Theory of Cyprus University of Technology (Cyprus) and D6 Culture in Transit (UK), on the other hand, are associate partners. Nubuke Foundation (Ghana), RCMG (UK) and MMHR (Chile) are subcontractors.

Europe’s artistic heritage is partly composed of artifacts that came from former colonies and were acquired through wars, looting, and embezzlement. Some collections were built with profits from colonial activities and exploited to advance populist and nationalist policies. With the bottom-up pushes that enabled a more democratic and egalitarian society, we witnessed a strong public debate around issues related to historical narratives and the way heritage is presented, instances that are still valid today. From the removal or replacement of statues, to calls for the revision of school texts, or the repatriation of looted artifacts; we are questioning the connection between past and present, questioning how national identities are forged and how systems and structures of oppression are sustained.

Contested Desires: Constructive Dialogues – CDCD thus seeks to respond creatively to one of the most important and controversial issues facing culture today: the legacy of European colonialism. In full recognition of the complexity of heritage and the ways in which it can provide identity and rootedness for some while generating alienation and discomfort for others, the project seeks to create shared spaces for difficult conversations using a bottom-up, collaborative approach based on artistic processes and skill-building activities.

Institutions, cultural organizations, local communities and 22 artists from 11 countries will be called upon to make collective work around certain collections or sites considered controversial. Creating new narratives with artworks and exhibitions, enhanced by workshops and public events, resulting in new work that explores alternative social and cultural perspectives. A specific focus on social inclusion and active public participation ensures that the project can become an engine of innovation and change and ensures the new interpretations and relationships have a lasting impact on institutions and their local communities.

In addition, through the capacity-building program implemented by ECCOM and targeting museum staff and artists, the most important outcome of the project can be realized: that of providing cultural professionals with methods, resources and, most importantly, the awareness necessary to be able to leverage the contested heritage to open a constructive and democratic dialogue that reflects European values of openness and contributes to reconciliation across past divisions.

To learn more visit contesteddesires.eu