MEMORY INFRASTRUCTURE AND PROVENANCE IN POSTCOLONIAL DISCOURSE: AN ANALYTICAL PERSPECTIVE ON J. BACH9S APPROACH
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35619/ucpmk.50.964Keywords:
postcolonialism, colonial discourse, culture of memory, memory infrastructure, provenance research, cultural heritage, art artefacts, cultural practices, museums, dialogue of cultures, intercultural communicationAbstract
The article examines postcolonial narratives conveyed through memory infrastructure and provenance research, practices actively implemented in Germany.
It highlights the significant contribution of J. Bach, who conceptualizes historical memory as both a moral and political phenomenon and identifies provenance research as a fundamental tool for uncovering the essence of colonial discourse. In his
works, Bach explores how the German government creates a memory infrastructure that addresses the Nazi and colonial past
and analyzes public reflections within the dichotomies of «activists-government», «colony-metropole» and «colonial past3
postcolonial narratives», focusing on the issues of responsibility, acknowledgment of guilt, reconciliation, and trauma.
Bach proposes reinterpreting the provenance research method as a «moral paradigm» in cultural and political practice,
viewing artifacts as historical witnesses that expose violence and compel the recognition of guilt and responsibility. In the
Ukrainian context, provenance research is not seen as an act of repentance or atonement but as an instrument for defending
national cultural heritage, preserving memory, and documenting evidence of colonial and wartime violence.
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