ABSTRACT
How does one garner widespread recognition of the human, economic and environmental costs of European colonization, which has continued in many cases long after former colonies attained independence? In Belgium artists and art historians have been among those at the forefront of politicians and the general public in tying Art Nouveau, one of Brussels's foremost and most popular cultural achievements, to the colonization of the Congo by first King Leopold II and then the Belgian government. While efforts to effect institutional change in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests in Belgium have faltered, art exhibitions are mapping out increasingly critical stances. They are also hosting events, including walking tours, that draw attention to the many connections that were often hidden in plain sight between beautiful art and architecture on the one hand and violent exploitation on the other hand. This chapter explores the challenge, which remains, of how to move the awareness of a relatively small group of artists and curators and the audiences they engage into the mainstream, which would entail addressing the way in which racism affects the lives of Belgium's residents with African heritage as well as working to decolonize public space.
