The Invisible Inventories Zine
The Invisible Inventories zine stands as our project's flagship publication, weaving together critical reflections, research findings, and artistic responses that emerged from this unique Kenyan-European collaboration.
More than just a project catalogue, this bilingual publication brings together diverse voices from museum professionals, artists, researchers, and community leaders to explore the complex realities of cultural heritage in a post-colonial world. Through essays, conversations, and object biographies, the zine offers fresh perspectives on how we might reimagine the relationship between cultural institutions across continents.
More than just a project catalogue, this bilingual publication brings together diverse voices from museum professionals, artists, researchers, and community leaders to explore the complex realities of cultural heritage in a post-colonial world. Through essays, conversations, and object biographies, the zine offers fresh perspectives on how we might reimagine the relationship between cultural institutions across continents.
The Invisible Inventories zine, published 2021
88 pages, 21 x 29,7 cm, full colour
88 pages, 21 x 29,7 cm, full colour
The zine includes critical reflections on museum politics and African-European institutional cooperation, alongside essays and conversations from IIP members and Kenyan museum professionals.
It also features object biographies offering multiple perspectives on individual artifacts, exhibition documentation, artwork analysis, and previously under-represented viewpoints on colonial histories in museum collections.
Contributors include Chao Tayiana Maina, George Abungu, Wandile Kasibe, The Nest Collective, SHIFT Collective and other leading voices in cultural heritage and decolonization.
The zine is available for sale in print and digital editions via Iwalewa Books.
It also features object biographies offering multiple perspectives on individual artifacts, exhibition documentation, artwork analysis, and previously under-represented viewpoints on colonial histories in museum collections.
Contributors include Chao Tayiana Maina, George Abungu, Wandile Kasibe, The Nest Collective, SHIFT Collective and other leading voices in cultural heritage and decolonization.
The zine is available for sale in print and digital editions via Iwalewa Books.
Digital Articles from the Zine
A selection of the writings from the zine are made available here:
Insights
Creating Invisible Inventories
Team insights from SHIFT Collective, RJM, WKM, and The Nest Collective. Key themes: Cross-cultural collaboration, exhibition development, artistic responses
Essay
A Collective Outlook
The Nest Collective examines the stories behind the data and its implications for cultural heritage. Key themes: Database analysis, colonial histories, institutional transparency
Looking Back
Object Movement Dialogues
Documentation of the public forum series exploring critical object histories. Key themes: Restitution discourse, community engagement, cultural ownership