Colonial Myths

The project critically examines colonial narratives and their continued presence in public space. Starting point is Hamburg's Speicherstadt and HafenCity, where a Columbus statue at Kornhausbrücke and the Columbus-Haus at the Hanseatic Trade Center raise questions: why does Columbus continue to receive such prominent commemoration, which narratives led to this heroisation, and which perspectives remain unconsidered?

At the centre is a letter written by Columbus to Luis de Santángel shortly after his first voyage – the first known document announcing the successful Atlantic crossing, rapidly distributed across Europe. A key historical source, and simultaneously a subjective account that reproduces colonial power structures through language.

For the exhibition, a section of the letter was printed onto transparent material and processed like a school proofreading exercise: read, commented on, corrected. The result is a 64-metre text band appearing to spill from Columbus's logbook into the space. Overlapping layers make the multiplicity of historical perspectives visible. Parts of the band lie on the floor – to be lifted and knelt over to read.

In addition to the exhibition, a critical walking tour of the city took participants to other sites linked to colonial history.