Benin. Geraubte Geschichte

In the organizer's words:

The colonial occupation of the Kingdom of Benin by British troops in February 1897 marked the end of one of the most powerful West African kingdoms. One of the consequences was the worldwide scattering of thousands of bronze, ivory, and wooden works of art looted from the royal palace.

In light of their restitution, the MARKK's Benin collection is now on display in its entirety in an exhibition. In addition to providing information on the British colonial war and the current restitution debate, the show conveys various perspectives on the original significance of the objects, their outstanding artistic quality, and their place in African art and cultural history. Special attention is paid to the provenance of the collection and its intertwined history with the Hamburg trade networks.