In Museums and Chill, the International Council of Museums (ICOM) presents the 34-minute podcast “Le rôle des musées dans la décolonisation” with Guadeloupean author Gerty Dambury; author, actor, and art historian Hortense Belhôte; and Laetitia Conort, ICOM’s head of communications. To listen to the podcast (in French), visit ICOM page.

Museums and Chill is available on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcast!

Welcome to another Museums and Chill episode, in this episode, we’re diving into the profound theme of decolonisation and its transformative impact on museums, culture, and society. Our guests today are Gerty Dambury and Hortense Belhôte.

In this riveting conversation, we’re honored to have two exceptional guests who have worked and created projects to foster understanding, dialogue, and change in the realm of museums and cultural representation: Gerty Dambury and Hortense Belhôte.

Our guests take us on a journey to explore the multifaceted landscape of decolonisation within the museum context. Together, we dive into topics like:

Reclaiming Narratives: How does the process of decolonisation help reclaim narratives that have been silenced or distorted throughout history?

Redefining Curation: How can curators rethink exhibition practices to dismantle colonial frameworks and create spaces that are welcoming to diverse perspectives?

Museum as Forum: Our guests discuss how museums can evolve into forums for open dialogue and critical engagement. By acknowledging historical injustices and fostering conversations, museums can become platforms for healing and growth.

Tune in to this episode of Museums and Chill as we engage in an eye-opening dialogue with Gerty Dambury and Hortense Belhôte. Their perspectives on decolonisation, museums, and culture inspire us to question and reimagine the role of cultural institutions in shaping a more just and equitable world.

HOST

Laetitia Conort, Head of Communications at the International Council of Museums. Before joining ICOM, Laetitia worked in the field of contemporary creation. After a master’s degree in museology at the Ecole du Louvre and a master’s degree in cultural project management at the Institut d’Etudes Européennes (Paris 8), her background is in communication and coordination of projects related to culture and art.

GUESTS

Gerty Dambury: Caribbean author, was born in Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe). She has published poetry as well as plays. She has studied African-American literature and theatre: her essay on the history of the first theatre opened by blacks in New York in 1821, William Alexander Brown’s Dream, won the 2015 Carbet Prize for Literature and the Tout-Monde.

Hortense Belhôte: Actress, author and art historian. She is the creator of Merci de ne pas Toucher, an Arte web series directed by Cécilia de Arce, which deciphers the masterpieces of classical European art.

For podcast, see https://icom.museum/en/news/museums-and-chill-the-role-of-museums-in-decolonisation