Riangelo Christie

Anti-Colonial Artworks

Riangelo Christie, Interactive art installation, 2024

Art which comments on colonialism is often focused on colonialist history or economic structures that exist because of colonialism. However, colonialism is much more than that and is also reflected and ingrained in our ways of thinking, hierarchy systems and interpersonal relationships. One particular oppressive system is called student-teacher relation within the banking concept of education as referred to by Paulo Freire, the student knows nothing and the teacher knows everything and decides what is best for the student and makes all the decisions for the “benefit of the student”. One party decides and the other listens and absorbs, one dominates and the other is dominated. 

A good example of this is the neo-colonial relation between Curaçao and the Netherlands. The island, like many (ex-)colonies, is still dependent on the Netherlands and often asks for financial aid. When this financial aid is given however it is often met with a lot of rules and restrictions. Even though the aid is supposed to be for the benefit of Curaçao and its people, they are often very much excluded from the conversation.

In Anti-Colonial Artworks Riangelo provides an alternative way of thinking, an open space where, ideally through collaboration and dialogue two people can make art together: no boss, no hierarchies, no domination but true collaboration. Through an interactive panel two people can make an artwork together. Both sides of the panel control the artwork in the exact same way. In this space the influence of both parties is truly equal. One cannot act with their own selfish interests but must collaborate with the other person as a means to shape the future and reach their end goal, making a piece of art.