European Museum of Racism  

Images are historical documents. They do not simply reflect the ideological perspectives of an era, but form part of the process through which these ideologies are produced. It is due to this, that I decided to realise The European Museum of Racism.

This project, inspired by Anandi Ramamurthy’s book, ‘Imperial Persuaders: Images of Africa and Asia in British Advertising’, is a growing physical and digital collection of Racist Memorabilia, Publications, Imagery and Racist Educational Books, whose impact has shaped, solidified and racially divided our world.

Today, many white Europeans and cultural institutions have difficulty with dealing with these dehumanising, racist portrayals of colonised peoples. These images and memorabilia are seen and referred to as problematic content that cannot be shown in the public domain. At the same time, while these so called “problematic” or “controversial” images and memorabilia are kept behind the scenes, they however are thriving online due to a huge demand from people who collect them.

The legacies and consequences of these dominant, dehumanising and distorting racist images, still cause direct harm through the racism, antisemitism, ableism and other harmful stereotyping that they feed. These continue to impact on people’s lives directly, driving discrimination and denying opportunity, access and representation.”


It is with this in mind that I decided to realise this project, with the aim not only to reveal the purposes to which these images and publications were employed, but to especially use these images, now hidden from public view, to re-educate all levels of society, and to contribute to the dismantling of institutionalised racism and the abolishment of racism, from a reparatory justice approach.