Frantz Fanon and Mary Sibande: Sophie Curating the Mess

Abstract

Curatorial practice is deeply connected to how nations and empires are imagined. It involves documenting history, managing archives, and curating exhibitions that represent lived experiences. However, this practice often focuses on Eurocentric ideas of beauty, which exclude Black lived experiences. This chapter examines how contemporary curatorial practices create divisions of inclusion and exclusion, drawing on Frantz Fanon's idea of a divided world. These practices often silence marginalized voices and are influenced by racist attitudes that exclude Black experiences. Decolonial curatorial interventions, inspired by Fanon, challenge the ways curators ignore the dehumanization of Black subjects. The chapter argues for decolonizing curatorial practices to democratize knowledge and reclaim Black identity. It also explores the similarities between curatorial practices and universities as systems that reinforce these divisions.