DeColonia LAB brings together creative expression and community-building. Through exhibition, dance, music, film, panel talks and workshops, the program offers diverse perspectives on decolonial and postmigrant realities – locally rooted, globally inspired. From Köln to the world.
DeColonia LAB is the humble beginning of a bigger idea: a recurring festival for transnational creativity, shaped collectively by the communities it serves. This first edition also acts as a platform and networking space for (post-)migrant initiatives from Köln and beyond.
Tickets are required for selected program items, but most events are free of charge.
The exhibition »Give it back« explores colonial continuities, stolen cultural heritage and artistic forms of reclaiming. At its core are jewellery pieces, objects and photographs by Poras Dhakan, Julia Obermaier and Anvita Jain, engaging with colonial art theft and the power structures of museum display. At 19:20, Abhilash Arackal and Poras Dhakan from Masala Movement will welcome you and share the ideas behind DeColonia LAB – and how this exhibition became a part of it. Free entry.
Dancer Reena Pathrose presents a solo performance in the classical South Indian dance form Bharatanatyam. Rooted in precolonial temple traditions, her movements – accompanied by symbolic jewellery – tell stories of memory, belonging and resistance. Free entry.
Afterwards, we invite you to explore the exhibition at your own pace, connect with others – all while Vineetha honours us behind the decks and sets the tone for the evening. Drinks will be available, of course. Free entry.
The exhibition is open and invites visitors to engage deeply with artistic perspectives on colonialism, ownership and cultural heritage. Free entry.
Anvita Jain is an interdisciplinary designer. The Ambi Project is a visceral response to the global history of the Paisley – the quintessential ornamental motif. Triggered by the discovery of a toilet paper roll with a Paisley print in a German supermarket, Jain writes a letter to Ambi – one of the Indian names for the Paisley pattern, also meaning raw mango in Hindi – questioning its status as mere decoration and re-establishing it as a political symbol. Through this act, she reflects on her own fluid identity and touches on issues of decoloniality, cultural appropriation, masculine power structures, and related contemporary anxieties. Free entry.
How can colonial narratives in museums be challenged through art? In this panel, artists Poras Dhakan, Julia Obermaier and Anvita Jain discuss looted artefacts, aesthetic resistance and decolonial practice – in conversation with current debates in academia and cultural policy. Moderated by Julia Wild. Free entry.
German rap meets Indian percussion: Grinch delivers personal lyrics about identity, language loss and life between two worlds – accompanied by live tabla player Aayush Bathija. In songs full of longing and sharpness, Grinch reflects on family distance, cultural fragmentation and the search for home. A musical ode to the in-between – two hearts, one stage. Free entry.
Afterwards, we invite you to continue exploring the exhibition and connect with others in a relaxed atmosphere – while Pawas honours us behind the decks and sets the tone for the evening. Drinks will be available, of course. Free entry.
The exhibition is open and invites visitors to engage deeply with artistic perspectives on colonialism, ownership and cultural heritage. Free entry.
In this artistic workshop with Poras Dhakan, we melt down the old to create something new – both symbolically and materially. Participants are invited to bring their own (old) materials and rework them into jewellery pieces using the sandcasting technique. Together, we reflect on questions of origin, ownership and the transformative power of art. The workshop runs until approx. 18:00. No prior experience required. Cost: €25 plus material costs for silver or brass (if needed). Further details will be shared upon registration.
As the musical highlight of DeColonia LAB, a collaborative performance brings together four artists from Cologne and Chennai: Keshav Purushotham, Ramesh Shotham, Naresh Purushotham and Sahana Naresh merge personal stories, family ties and musical traditions. Blending jazz, South Indian classical music, electronics and indie pop, they create a multilayered soundscape where instruments like the Veena and Tavil intertwine with digital textures and electric guitars – confident, contemporary, and shaped by a decolonial perspective.
Afterwards, the evening continues at Tore, the restaurant on the ground floor of the Kulturbunker. At the aftershow party, Cheffe, RĀN, Midani and Sedaction deliver the perfect soundtrack – four DJs from different communities across Köln, united by sound, attitude and a shared community spirit. In cooperation with Korsi. Free entry.
Korsi is a Köln-based collective and an open space for community, creativity and exchange. Through readings, films, exhibitions, workshops and parties, Korsi creates moments of connection and offers a platform especially for emerging artists from the SWANA region (Southwest Asia and North Africa).
The exhibition is open and invites visitors to engage deeply with artistic perspectives on colonialism, ownership and cultural heritage. Free entry.
In »Dahomey«, acclaimed director Mati Diop documents the return of 26 royal artefacts from Paris’ Quai Branly Museum to Benin – raising fundamental questions about colonial heritage and the politics of remembrance. Visually striking and deeply moving, the film brings to life the human stories behind the objects and enters into direct dialogue with our exhibition. Language: Original with English subtitles.
To close DeColonia LAB, we invite you to reflect on the past days together – through open conversations, shared thoughts, and one last drink, accompanied by live music from harp player Zainab Lax. Zainab is a music therapist and multi-instrumentalist; her improvised loop performances blend Western and Eastern soundscapes, creating spaces for dreaming, grooving and resonating. A space for connection, reflection and exchange. Free entry.
Funded by:
