On March 8, 2026, VISU-member Brenda Bikoko will take part in Women of Photography 24-Hour Conference-A-Thon with her presentation titled 'Pia Arke and Maud Sulter's Decolonial Visions Through Photography'.
Pia Arke (1958–2007) and Maud Sulter (1960–2008) were mixed-heritage photographers whose work remains underrepresented, yet they can be seen as pioneers of what Hito Steyerl has termed a “second wave of institutional critique,” which, from the 1990s onward, sought to address alternative and previously invisible histories (Steyerl, 2015). Despite their distinct cultural contexts, both artists developed parallel decolonial strategies. Juxtaposing their practices not only connects the Arctic to the African diaspora, but also challenges monolithic notions of identity and reveals how racialised histories are inscribed in place and representation. Both returned or went as adults to their maternal homelands and actively contributed to their communities, operating at the intersections of gender, race and colonialism.
The conference will take place online, more info can be found here.