I grew up getting strange comments from older family members who would liken my body to that of Saartjie Baartman. And not the simple appearance of it, but the object of her body, almost to ridicule that shape- the shape of African women.
The story of Saartjie Baartman is tragic not only because of the extent of her exploitation and objectification, but that these exploitative dehumanizing colonial perspectives on African subjectivity have found continuity into the 20th and 21st centuries. My research on photographic archives has been a pathway to a deeper interrogation of these subjectivities. From the advent of the photographic medium in Africa, to it's pervasion as an ethnographic tool, and then a means of highlighting the spectacular violence that African and other oppressed peoples have been subjected to, photography has played a significant role in showing us how these dehumanizing gazes have been formalized.
This article is such a necessary historical refresher. It is also a much welcome resuscitation of our collective outrage towards what Saartjie Baartman was subjected to. We should never ever forget what she was subjected to. This outrage is what opens our eyes up to the dangers of curating, exhibiting, writing, documenting with no apathy or critical thought.
There's a nuance to how the article reflects on Saartjie's supposed agency (or lack thereof) in her enslavement and exploitation. I hope to think and write about these nuances one day. I mean, what do we do with those supposed moments of defiance? What do we do with the ambiguities of consent in colonial contexts?
The work we do in cultural institutions, as both knowledge production and cultural expression, will always be tethered to these tragic colonial histories. The ambiguities and silences inherent in what was written by White scholars is perhaps exactly where we should be starting our work. To reflect on them is to continually remind ourselves of how diligent we need to be in restoring our collective dignity.
Awesome read. Cudos to the writers.
From her exploitation in 19th-century Europe to the enduring impacts on beauty standards today, Saartjie Baartman's tragic story challenges us to confront the ongoing legacy of colonisation and exploitation.
Follow the link for Unam Ntsababa and Luvuyo Mabe's in-depth look at the life and legacy of Saartjie Baartman: https://lnkd.in/g-VN2fMX
Featured artwork from Senzeni Maresela's Covering Sarah series (2012). Image courtesy Kalashnikovv Gallery and the artist
#SaartjieBaartman #ColonialHistory #BlackHistory #BeautyStandards #ColonialLegacy
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2moSuper sick!