Rethink & Replace: Colonial Traces

Rethink & Replace: Koloniale Sporen Walk, debate & concert This autumn, KAAP in Ostend continues the series Rethink & Replace with screenings and conversations that invite continuous reflection. From our base on the border between city and sea, in a listed and controversial colonial monument on the seawall, we ask questions about the role of art and imagery in society. How do we look at the colonial traces in our cities today? What stories do monuments and statues tell, and who decides on their meaning? Met Rethink & Replace invites you to discover art and imagery as a mirror of history and society. We start with a walk along colonial traces in Ostend with Don Moussa Pandzou, followed by a public debate, moderated by Dalilla Hermans, about the past, present, and the role of art. Finally, Lindah Leah Nyirenda brings a live performance in which spoken word and singing flow together. Program 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM (Start at De Drie Gapers) Walk: Koloniale Sporen with Don Moussa Pandzou and André Baert Tijdens on this walk, city guides Don Moussa Pandzou, a Belgian with Congolese roots, and André Baert take you through the colonial past of Ostend. Along the way, we pause at various locations that visibly or less visibly refer to the colonization of Congo by Leopold II and Belgium. Together we investigate how this past still affects our society today. Attention: the walk starts at De Drie Gapers and ends at Thermae Palace. 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM (Thermae Palace - Zaal Elisabeth) Public debate: Koloniale Sporen moderated by Dalilla Hermans Een open conversation about how we deal with colonial heritage today. We delve deeper into the history of the site De Drie Gapers, the urban policy regarding the counter-monument at the statue of Leopold II, and the future of the park next to it. With contributions from: Elohor Frances Sama (driving force behind WO!Resist) Judith Ooms (alderman for Urban Development and Participation, Stad Oostende) Nadia Nsayi (political scientist, museum employee, and author) Joséphine Vandekerckhove (programmer Reflection, KAAP) Don Moussa Pandzou (author and report maker) 4:30 PM – 5:00 PM Spoken word & concert performance: Lindah Leah Nyirenda 6:00 PM End SOKL - between idealism and reality What happens when artistic idealism clashes with stubborn reality? And what role can art play in a world that is becoming increasingly complex? SOKL is a three-part podcast that takes you from Belgium to Congo, past artists, cultural players, and people who search daily for new ways to work together. No simple answers, but honest conversations about art, power, cooperation, representation, and social change. Based on personal stories and critical reflections, we investigate how cultural exchange takes shape today. Where are the opportunities? Where do the pitfalls lie? And how do we build sustainable relationships without reproducing old power relations?