education, career, conferences

Dr Christoph Balzar is an art historian, curator, and cultural worker based in Berlin. He specializes in the study of the museum, colonialism, and the politics of memory. In addition to his research pursuits, he teaches in the departments of »Aesthetic Education«, »Art« and »Art Theory« at the University of Potsdam. Balzar also curates exhibitions both in physical and virtual spaces.

balzar [ a t ] uni – potsdam . de ( [ a t ] = @ and without spaces)

education

Dec. 2021 disputation of dissertation: „Diskriminierungskritische Studien zur Musealisierung von Heiligtümern lebender Kulturen aus kolonialen Erwerbszusammenhängen“, Kunsthistorisches Institut der Rheinischen Friedrich Wilhelms-Universität Bonn

May 2018 Four-week long course as a diversity trainer with Patty Digh and Victor Lee Lewis

2014 begin of dissertation in museum theory: „Diskriminierungskritische Studien zur Musealisierung von Heiligtümern lebender Kulturen aus kolonialen Erwerbszusammenhängen [AT]“, Prof. Dr. Anne-Marie Bonnet; Prof. Dr. Michael Fehr, Kunsthistorisches Institut der Rheinischen Friedrich Wilhelms-Universität Bonn

Oct.–Dec. 2011 Field research in a Kágaba/Kogi community, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia

2009–2011 M.A. in Artistic Museum Studies: „The museum as an agent of cultural reproduction“, Prof. Dr Michael Fehr, Institute for Art in Context, University of the Arts Berlin

2008 training in „Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health Care“, Wiradjuri community of Katoomba, NSW, Australia, Ceane Towers

2000–2005 diploma in Visual Communication, University of Applied Sciences Aachen: „Uluru“, Prof. Wilhelm Schürmann

2004 exchange studies in Aboriginal Cultures and Philosophies at UTS Technical University of Sydney, Australia, Dr Karen Vaughan

March–Aug. 2004 research in the Anangu community, Northern Territories and the Wiradjuri community, NSW, Australia

June 2003 research in Montignac, France, „The Paintings of Lascaux II“, Prof. Siegfried Ijewski, University of Applied Sciences Aachen

career

Dec. 2020 co-founder of »BARAZANI.berlin – Forum Kolonialismus und Widerstand«; curator for virtual spaces

2017–2021 chairman of »Förderverein Kunst im Kontext« of the »Institut für Kunst im Kontext«, Universität der Künste Berlin, <www.art-in-context.org>

Apr. 2016 consultant and project manager for the »Union des Cultes Traditionnels du Togo in Agoueguan-Aneho, Togo, www.UCTT-Togo.org

Jan. 2015 co-founder and chairman of the NGO »Dezentral e.V.: Für ein Kolonialismusmahnmal im Herzen Berlins!«, www.kolonialismus-mahnmal.de 

since Feb. 2014 curator at the »Museo Pacha Milli«, Pasto, Colombia, www.PachaMilli.com 

Nov. 2013 co-founder of the museum research group »FLOORPLAN«, Art History Institute of the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn www.FLOOPRLAN-research.com 

Oct.–Dec. 2013 photographer for the artist Julie Gough, Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Cambridge, University/Contemporary Art Tasmania and Curator Khadija von Zinnenburg Carroll 

Jul.–Aug. 2013 curatorial residency at „Heimathaus Weltengeist“, Stiefenhofen, Germany, project: »No es arte.« 

Jul. 12–Feb. 13 mediator/consultant in the dispute over „La Abuela Kueka / The Global Stone Project“ with RAin Claudia von Selle between the Government of Venezuela (on behalf of the Pemón people) and the artist Wolgang Kraker von Schwarzenfeld 

Mar. 2012 project manager »No es arte. – Tairona and Kogi heritage“, Santa Marta, Colombia 

since Jan. 2010 chairman of the NGO »Culture & Development e.V. (developmental aid for Europe)«

Mar. 2009 co-founder of the NGO »Culture & Development e.V. (developmental aid for Europe)«, www.CultureandDevelopment.org 

2005 – 2008 photographer/assistant for the Schürmann Collection

conferences

Jun. 2019 conceptualization/realization of the conference: »UN-DOING ART HISTORY? together with FLOORPLAN, Department of Art History, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn

Oct. 2017 conceptualization/realization/moderation of the panel discussion „WESSEN ERBE?“ at the »Institute for Art in Context«, amongst others with Messanh Amedegnato, Martin Schmidl and Michael Fehr

Feb. 2017 conceptualization/realization/moderation of the »FLOORPLAN World Café«, Art History Institute, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn

Mar. 2016 conceptualization/realization/moderation of the FLOORPLAN conference »WHOSE HERITAGE?«, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn

Oct. 2015 speaker at the „Conference of the German Society for Anthropology“, Philipps University Marburg: »No es arte. – Tayrona and Kágaba/Kogi Heritage«

Jun. 2015 speaker at the »Herrenhausen Symposium: Positioning Ethnographic Museums in the 21st Century«, Volkswagen Foundation, Hannover

Mar. 2015 speaker at the symposium of the feminist collective »ƒƒ«: »Für ein Kolonialismusmahnmal im Herzen Berlins!«, DEZENTRAL e.V.

Feb. 2015 conceptualization/organisation of the FLOORPLAN conference: »Transformations. Museum and Art History«; Art History Institute of the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn

Jun. 2014 conceptualization/moderation of the FLOORPLAN workshop: »Artistic research in the museum – knowledge production and knowledge transfer between art and science«; 8th Berlin Biennale, Dahlem Museums

Oct. 2013 speaker at »The Possessed Past Symposium«: „Artists and Ethnographers“, Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge

exhibitions

Jan. 22 »art + school«, an exhibition with students of Potsdam University (Aesthetic Education) and »ISD – Initiative Schwarze Menschen in Deutschland e. V.«, Kunstraum Potsdam

Dec. 2020 opening of »BARAZANI.berlin«

Apr. 20 »Imprinted Matter« – an exhibition with students of the project »Intersectional Matter« and the Time-based Media and Performance class of the University of the Arts Berlin at the »Museum of Photography Berlin«

Aug. 19 »Better TogetHER« – an exhibition with students of the project »Intersectional Matter« and the class »Time-based Media and Performance«, University of the Arts Berlin

Feb. 19 »40 Years of Art in Context – Part 2«, ngbk Neue Gesellschaft für Bildende Künste, Berlin 

Nov. 18 »40 Years of Art in Context – Part 1«, University of the Arts Berlin

Apr. 18 »Bordered Lives – Art by British Deportation Centers Detainees« at the Bonavero Institute for Human Rights

Jan. 18 presentation of »Le Portrait de Chabassi Amadossi, Grand Guerrisseur et Spiritualist«, Voodoo Festival of Benin in Quidah, Benin

Oct. 2017 Opening of the »Museo Pacha Milli«, Pasto, Colombia; www.PachaMilli.com 

Jan.–Mar. 2017 project manager for the Union des Cultes Traditionnels du Togo and the Voudou Festival in Agoueguan-Aneho, Togo; www.UCTT-Togo.org 

July 16 »Museum Lab Dahlem«, Weinmeisterhaus Berlin 

Aug. 16 artistic research workshop: System constellation of the conflict between the Museo del Oro and Kogi Mamas from Colombia – Part 2; »No es arte.« – with Hanune Shalati and Ingrid Mesin, Weinmeisterhaus Berlin

July 15 artistic research workshop: System constellation of the conflict between the Museo del Oro and Kogi Mamas from Colombia – Part 2; »No es arte.« – with Hanune Shalati and Ingrid Mesin, Weinmeisterhaus Berlin

June 15 exhibition »Haba Sé« at „Heimathaus Weltengeist“, Stiefenhofen, Germany in cooperation with the Museo Pacha Milli, www.PachaMilli.com 

Oct. 14 exhibition »No es arte.« at the Latin American Film Festival during the Berlinale 2014 with Hanune Shalati 

July 14 Performance walk »No es arte.« with Hanune Shalati at the Ethnological Museum Dahlem, Berlin: »Wie man dem Sammler die Bilder erklärt III« 

May 14 »Für ein Kolonialismusmahnmal im Herzen Berlins«, exhibition during »Postcolonial Justice. International Conference, Potsdam and Berlin«, www.Kolonialismus-Mahnmal.de 

May 14 Intervention »Für ein Kolonialismusmahnmal im Herzen Berlins« during the 8th Berlin Biennale, Berlin Dahlem 

Apr 14 »Für ein Kolonialismusmahnmal im Herzen Berlins«, KUNSTSAELE Berlin, exhibition: THE MISSING, curated by Lukas Töpfer 

Feb. 2014 Performance walk »No es arte.« with Hanune Shalati at the Museum of Ethnology, Munich: »Wie man dem Sammler die Bilder erklärt II« 

May 13 Performance Walk »No es arte« with Hanune Shalati at the British Museum, London:»Wie man dem Sammler die Bilder erklärt I« 

Jan. 12 »No es arte. – Tairona and Kogi Heritage“, Museum der Dinge, Berlin with Hanune Shalati 

July 11 »No es arte. – Tairona and Kogi Heritage“ at the University of the Arts Berlin Rundgang – Out of Context: »Entre Memorias y Possibilidades« 

Sept. 10 »Museum Laboratory Dahlem«, Homebase Project Berlin 

Jan. 10 »Museum Laboratory Dahlem«, Institute for Art in Context, Berlin 

Mar. 09 »Quo vadis, Humboldt-Forum?«, lecture performance at the Danish Embassy, Berlin 

Dec. 08 »Uluru« at the NAK Neuer Aachener Kunstverein 

Feb. 08 »Uluru«, Iron Fest with Ceane Towers and the Wiradjuri Community, NSW, Australia 

Apr. 08 »Europa Ladrona!« at Days of Photography, Museum Künstlerkolonie, Darmstadt

Dec 07 »Europa Ladrona!« at NAK Neuer Aachener Kunstverein 

July–Oct. 07 »Uluru« at the Villa Merkel, Esslingen 

Jan 07 »Uluru« at the Goethe Institute Rotterdam, Netherlands 

Oct. 06 »Uluru« at the Biennale of Photography, Istanbul, Turkey 

Oct. 05 »Uluru« at ART Cologne 2005, winner of the Epson Art Photo Award 

Sep. 04 »Uluru«, blank space gallery, Sydney, Australia