Whose History?

Thought provoking online discussion as part of the Cheltenham Literature Festival looking at how we view history from a Western European viewpoint.

The talked brought together the author of a recent book on African European though history, Olivette Otele and art critic and historian, Aindrea Emelife to discuss how to ensure accounts of history and culture reflect the whole of society and how to move from away from a singular narrative to one that belongs to everyone.

All aspects of this talk were interesting but I include it in my art blog as Emelife had a fascinating presentation in the light of the removal of the Coulston statue in Bristol showing examples of new public art reflecting a more diverse society. Examples included a wonderful statue in New York, mimicking the controversial Confederate statues, of a African-American in urban clothes on horseback by Fehinde Wiley from 2019 and a Nazi era building in Italy which, rather than demolishing it, has a line from a Jewish philosopher in LED lights on the wall “Nobody has the right to obey”. I am also off to find Do HO Suh’s “Bridging Home” from last year, a Korean house on a bridge across London Wall.

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