Otherwise Known as the Sex Museum After my younger sister’s first twenty-four hours in Amsterdam, it was time for her to lock in. Historical Canal Cruise to Set the Tone This image was taken before a man said what never needed to be said. We went on a canal cruise like true locals and learned Read More…
Site Visit: African Studies Center Leiden
I am once again going to speak on decolonization Dearest Snoopers, I am required to speak on decolonization in libraries this week. I promise I have range. Return later for evidence. Warmly, Steffi Ando, Japanese Cowboy Worldwide African Studies Center Library at the University of Leiden African Studies Center Library entrance. The staff did not Read More…
Decolonization in Colonial Spaces
Is Decolonization Possible in Spaces Built by and for Colonizers? ”Thus coloniality survives colonialism. It is maintained alive in books, in the criteria for academic performance, in cultural patterns, in common sense, in the self-image of peoples, in aspirations of self, and in so many other aspects of our modern experience. In a way, as Read More…
Het Niuewe Instituut vs. Verzetsmuseum Amsterdam
Het Niuewe Instituut Model of the Niuewe Instituut in the collection archives. The Het Niuewe Instituut is the Netherlands national museum of architecture, design, and digital culture located in Rotterdam. Originally three different entities, government budget cuts forced these three institutions to combine into one cultural heritage organization and research powerhouse. During our site visit, Read More…
Record-Scratch-You’re-Probably-Wondering-How-I-Ended-Up-Here Weekend
Site Visit: Hell on Earth I made a deal with the Devil this weekend. First, I lost a game of Russian Roulette. I’m not sure how you snoopers* play, but in this version our program director scheduled a three day weekend and encouraged us to travel. Accepting the risk in hopes of emerging from a Read More…
Women in Art
Girls Girls Girls I captured the following images on my iPhone with no particular agenda in mind. This post is centered on the viewer’s experience and engagement with women in and creating High art, particularly in paintings and photographs. In the visually illiterate society we belong to today, images and iconography in museums allow viewers Read More…
Reading Response: White Innocence: Paradoxes of Colonialism and Race by Gloria Wekker
A Little Late Night Ponder on White Innocence: Paradoxes of Colonialism and Race by Gloria Wekker “Slavery broke the world in half, it broke it in every way. It broke Europe. It made them into something else, it made them slave masters, it made them crazy. You can’t do that for hundreds of years and it Read More…
Guest Lecture: Joana Meroz
“The Role of Environment Factors in Configuring Design, a Dutch Case Study” Guest Lecture: Joana Meroz, Assistant Professor in Design Cultures at Vrije University Dear snoopers, this is your one warning my art history and political science undergrad soul was revived during this lecture. We must all suffer the consequences together. Godspeed. Bum #1 by Read More…
Site Visit: Vrije Universteit Amsterdam
Site Visit On 20 June 2024, our class spent four hours learning the history, current learning processes, and decolonizing future of Vrije Universteit. When we arrived, we met Curator of Academic Heritage, Eline Bos, who gave us a brief history of the university’s founding. She then led a historical object learning exercise by giving groups Read More…
Site Visit Reflection: OBA (Amsterdam Public Library)
Site Background On June 19, 2024, or what I am reading as 19 June 2024 around town, our program started off strong with site visits to two branches of the OBA (Amsterdam Public Library). Our day began at 9:20am in the hotel dining area before we embarked on an efficient public transit journey to the Read More…