11. The Mawensi (Kilimanjaro). In the east rises the plateau of the Kilimanjaro of the Mawensi at 4300 m above sea level, the steep rocky jagged points of which rise to 5270 m.
untitled [the mawensi], 2021
archival pigment print, 112 x 148 cm.
14 Ugogo steppe landscape. After crossing the east wing of the East African Threshold, the Central Railway crosses this hot and arid landscape, which is the southern continuation of the East African rift.
untitled [ugogo steppe landscape], 2021
archival pigment print, 112 x 148 cm.
20. Tabora Was founded around 1820 by Arab traders in the heart of the Unjamwesi (lake) countryside. The place experienced its first heyday after 1860 as a result of the slave and ivory trade, a second as a result of the connection to the central railway built by the Germans, so that 40,000 people lived here in 1914.
untitled [tabora], 2021
archival pigment print, 168 x 220 cm.
39 Fire weavers. They belong to the sink-like weaver birds that are characteristic of Africa. They buried their names in their nests, which they artfully woven from grass and hang in the hundreds on a tree in the east.
untitled [fire weavers], 2021
archival pigment print, 112 x 148 cm.
73 The coconut palm. 1 fruit-bearing trunk. 2 male and female flowers in the inflorescence. 3 Sliced fruit, the nut in the middle. - The coconut plantings, which are mostly in the hands of the natives. provide, among many other things, the dried pulp of the palm trees, the copra.
untitled [the coconut palm], 2021
archival pigment print, 168 x 220 cm.
161 Homestead of the Fulla in northwest Cameroon. The farmsteads of these tribes similar to the Berbers, who immigrated since 1500, are formed by several huts, between which there are still urn-shaped water and granaries.
untitled [homestead of the fulla], 2021
archival pigment print, 112 x 148 cm.
191. Mosque in Sansane Mangu, north Togo. Since the city is an important transit point for the Sudan trade, many Mohammedan traders live here. In addition, there are many noble native Mohammedans here.
untitled [mosque in sansane mangu, north togo], 2021
archival pigment print, 112 x 148 cm.
5 Floating dock in Dar es Salaam. The floating dock set up by the colonial administration in Dar es Salaam made it possible to repair damaged ships. It was 64.8 m long and had a load capacity of 1,800 t.
untitled [floating dock in dar es salaam], 2021
archival pigment print, 112 x 148 cm.
85 Field uniform of a non-commissioned officer of the German East Africa firing force. This numbered 2500 colored soldiers and was divided into 14 companies. There was also a police force of 1,800 men.
untitled [field uniform of a non-commissioned officer], 2021
archival pigment print, 148 x 112 cm.
86 Mwanza festivals on the south bank. Of Lake Victoria. It was on a hill so that it could be better defended in the event of a failure. Two platoons of the 14th Company of the Firing Force were housed in it.
untitled [mwanza festivals], 2021
archival pigment print, 112 x 148 cm.
92 Gneiss rocky coast on the Hottentot Bay. The coast of German South West Africa, washed by a cold sea current, bends in connection with frequent fog and high surf. Great dangers for shipping.
untitled [gneiss rocky coast on the hottentot bay], 2021
archival pigment print, 112 x 148 cm.
126 A rider patrol of the firing force in German South West Africa. The fighting against the extremely cruel Herero and Hottentots, who were armed with modern weapons. were made more difficult by the character of the country and the lack of water in Fehr.
untitled [a rider patrol of the firing force], 2021
archival pigment print, 112 x 148 cm.
127 Artillery in action at Hamakari. On August 11, 1904, the decisive battle against the rebellious Hereros, who in January attacked and murdered most of the whites in the central firing area, took place at Waterberg Sand.
untitled [artillery in action at hamakari], 2021
archival pigment print, 112 x 148 cm.
135 The evangelical church of the natives in Windhoek. The mission has produced varying degrees of success among the natives, depending on the character of the people.
untitled [the evangelical church of the natives in windhoek], 2021
archival pigment print, 112 x 148 cm.
176 Exit of the Kameweg at Liati. Originally, the jungle could only be traversed on paths used by negroes. One such path led over the Francois pass along the Kame through the southern Togo mountains.
untitled [exit of the kameweg at liati], 2021
archival pigment print, 112 x 148 cm.
21 Crossing a river by a carrier caravan. Aside from the railways, freight transport by porters plays a major role. The natives carry the approximately 60 pound loads on their heads. Where there are no vapors, the rivers are crossed at fords.
untitled [crossing a river by a carrier caravan], 2021
archival pigment print, 168 x 220 cm.
36 Giant tusk of an elephant. The elephants of East Africa mainly supply "soft" ivory, which is more elastic than the "hard" elephants of West Africa and is used for billiard balls and piano keys.
untitled [giant tusk of an elephant], 2021
archival pigment print, 168 x 220 cm.
94 Swankop Mouth Landing Bridge. The ships have to anchor in the open roadstead, which is only thrown against the lively surf by a dam.
untitled [swankop mouth landing bridge], 2021
archival pigment print, 112 x 148 cm.
141 Flock of sheep in German South West Africa with a watering system fed by a wind motor pump. In addition to the goats, sheep provide the natives with the main meat nourishment. German South West Africa offered favorable conditions for commercial wool, meat and Persian sheep breeding by Europeans, so that in 1913 around half a million sheep could be counted.
untitled [flock of sheep in german south west africa], 2021
archival pigment print, 112 x 148 cm.
142 Diamond discovery site in the Bomona area south of Luderig bay. The precious pods can be found in a 400 km long and 15 km wide desert strip along the coast of German South West Africa, from the conception bay in the north to the roast beef island in the south.
untitled [diamond discovery site in the bomona area south of luderig bay], 2021
archival pigment print, 112 x 148 cm.
165 Cocoa. 1 fruit-covered tree. 2 stem with flowers. 3 Sliced fruit - the tree, which only thrives in the tropics, was the most important cultivated plant in the plantations within the jungle belt.
untitled [cocoa], 2021
archival pigment print, 112 x 148 cm.
166 Banana stand. The banana is one of the most important foods of the negroes, in Cameroon especially for the tribes of the grasslands. In the cocoa plantations it was planted as a shade plant for the young plants.
untitled [banana stand], 2021
archival pigment print, 168 x 220 cm.
116 Herero and Bushman. The Herero belong to the high-ranking Bantu peoples of South Africa. These cattle breeders, who loved their herds, above all, were large, often built in a Herculean manner. Her intellectual ability was by no means poor, but her character was unappealing. Arrogance, presumptuousness and especially cruelty were characteristic of them. In the greatest antithesis to the Hereros, they are dwarfed collectors and hunters who are only 1.50 m tall and wander unsteadily through the steppes and desert steppes of South West Africa.
untitled [herero and bushman], 2021
archival pigment print, 148 x 112 cm.
97 Train of Luderitz bay railway in the shifting dunes of the Namib. Desert and moving sand made the highest demands on the skills of German engineers.
untitled [train of luderitz bay railway in the shifting dunes of the namib], 2021
archival pigment print, 112 x 148 cm.
109 Milk bushes in the desert. Thick-skinned dry plants with milk-like juice: to reduce evaporation and to be able to store moisture for a long time.
untitled [milk bushes in the desert], 2021
archival pigment print, 112 x 148 cm.
122 [ ... ] in Omaruru. The beehive-shaped vat is common to the Herero and Hottentots as well as the mountain damara. Erected for a short period of time, it consists of a framework made of curved branches that is covered with mats; if you are sedentary, a layer of clay is used for this.
untitled [ ... in omaruru], 2021
archival pigment print, 112 x 148 cm.
197 Colored police soldiers. In Togo, which did not have a firing force, the administration had a police force made up of two officers, there were six non-commissioned officers and around 560 colored police soldiers. They had to watch over an area the size of which equals that of Bayern and Württemberg.
untitled [colored police soldiers], 2021
archival pigment print, 168 x 220 cm.
30 The hyena. Of the hyenas, the striped one in East Africa is rarer than the spotted one. She goes out for prey at night. As such, she primarily chooses carrion.
untitled [the hyena], 2021
archival pigment print, 168 x 220 cm.
[es war einmal ... eine deutsche kolonie] 2021
How has history been represented, what is the way in which history is read, studied, disseminated and understood? They are issues that we ourselves have to unleash
The work examines how the story has been represented and narrated. Thinking that history has always been written by the winners and their narration carries within itself a partial account of the exclusion of the other. The reading and imagery presented by the winner has served to reinforce and highlight his interests, deforming and distorting reality to the degree of dehumanization of the so-called barbarian, marginalized, savage, poor or defeated.
Should we consider art as a provocation, incitement or a call to a rereading, to a new way of understanding history?
The work explores concepts of ethics, it can be read as a study of human actions, provides elements to reread the ways in which history is narrated and studied and, from another attitude, proposes an inclusive vision, as well as to end that fable of the other, of the barbarian.
This work aligns with Benjamin's theories and concepts about history.
"The booty is dragged in the middle of the parade of triumph. And they call it cultural assets. These have to count on the historical materialist with an already distant observer. For what cultural assets can encompass with his gaze is for him [... ] from a provenance in which he cannot think without horror. Their existence is owed not only to the efforts of the great geniuses who have created them, but also, without a doubt, to the anonymous servitude of their contemporaries. There is no document of culture that it is not, at the same time, of barbarism " Walter Benjamin[es war einmal ... eine deutsche kolonie] 2021
¿Cómo se ha representado la historia y cuales es la forma en que se lee, estudia, difunde, comprende esta? Estas son cuestiones que nosotros mismo hemos de desencadenar.
El trabajo examina él cómo se ha representado y narrado la historia. Pensando que la historia ha sido siempre escrita por los vencedores y su narración lleva en si un relato parcial de exclusión del otro. La lectura y la imaginería presentada por el vencedor ha servido para reforzar y resaltar sus intereses deformando y desvirtuando la realidad hasta el grado de la deshumanización del llamado bárbaro, marginado, salvaje, pobre o vencido.
¿Debemos de considerar el arte como una provocación, incitación o un llamado a una relectura, a una nueva forma de narrar la historia?
El projecto explora conceptos de ética, se puede leer como un estudio del accionar humano, entrega elementos para releer las formas en que se narra y estudia la historia y, desde otra actitud, propone una visión inclusiva, así como para terminar con esa fabula del otro, del bárbaro.
Este trabajo se alinea con las teorías y conceptos de Benjamín sobre la historia.
"El botín es arrastrado en medio del desfile del triunfo. Y lo llaman bienes culturales. Éstos han de contar en el materialista histórico con un observador ya distanciado. Pues lo que de bienes culturales puede abarcar con la mirada es para él [...] de una procedencia en la que no puede pensar sin horror. Su existencia la deben no ya sólo al esfuerzo de los grandes genios que los han creado, sino también, sin duda, a la servidumbre anónima de sus contemporáneos. No hay documento de cultura que no lo sea, al tiempo, de barbarie" Walter Benjamin