NAMING NATURES EXPLORES THE COLONIAL LEGACY OF NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTIONS
The Naming Natures: Natural History and Colonial Legacy art-science exhibition, supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation and the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, takes a critical look at natural history collections from colonial settings, combining scientific, historical, and museographic approaches.
In 1838, Swiss naturalist Johann Jakob von Tschudi (1818–89), commissioned by the Natural History Museum of Neuchâtel, sailed to Peru on a merchant ship filled with Indienne fabrics, champagne, and watches. During his journey of five years, he hunted and prepared over a thousand specimens, which he sent to Neuchâtel. This story is not unique: many European museums have collections acquired in a colonial context.
Is it still possible to exhibit these collections? And if so, how can they be presented differently without exoticizing or glorifying the figure of the “great men of science”? What responsibility do museums have towards the communities concerned?
The exhibition Naming Natures: Natural History and Colonial Legacy features archives, historical objects, and specimens, as well as works by contemporary artists from Latin America and Switzerland. It questions the separation between nature and culture and reflects on the forms that repair processes can take. It highlights the appropriation of natural heritage by Western scientists, often without regard for indigenous heritage or expertise. This power imbalance persists to this day, underlining the need to facilitate intercultural partnerships at a time when the environment and society are undergoing immense change.
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María José Murillo & Danitza Willka. Kawasaq salqa Pacha, 2024. Andean weaving. Courtesy of E-Flux.
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Enrique Casanto. Guerreros, 2024. Detail of painting. Courtesy of E-Flux.
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Denise Bertschi. From the Andes to the Alps. Llamas and Alpacas. Video still, 2024. Courtesy of E-Flux.
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Ivana de Vivanco. Tziih-tzih-tzi-tzi-tzi-tzi-tz-tz-ziiiiuuüüi/ último canto (detail), 2024. Triptych painting/ installation. Courtesy de E-Flux.
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Uriel Orlow. Flora Peruana, 2024. Courtesy of E-Flux.
Naming Natures is co-curated by historian Dr. Tomás Bartoletti (ETH Zurich) and artist-researcher Dr. Denise Bertschi (Collegium Helveticum/ETH Zurich), in collaboration with the team of the Natural History Museum of Neuchâtel.
The exhibition is funded by the city of Neuchâtel and by the Agora grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and supported by the professorship for the History of the Modern World at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ).
With artistic contributions, curated by Denise Bertschi: Chonon Bensho, Denise Bertschi, Enrique Casanto, Pancho Fierro, Ximena Garrido-Lecca, Marco Herrera Fernández, Fabiano Kueva, María José Murillo, Uriel Orlow, Raúl Silva, Elizabeth Vazquez Arbulú, Ivana de Vivanco, Danitza Willka, Santiago Yahuarcan.
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