The Bell Drum, infuenced by non-European slit gongs, is a signifcant memorial blending art and history. With five mallets representing colonized regions and endocolonial violence, the drum's design forms patterns associated with each region. When played, these patterns produce diverse tones. The hollow instrument, resembling ancient astronomical devices, symbolizes global struggles for decolonization.
The project embraces non-European history's power and diversity. Its aesthetic highlights the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. Cuts in the pipe create dynamic light patterns, symbolizing cultural meanings. Each region's associations, drawn from various drums, add depth. The drum, an abstracted body, signifes colonial pain and global healing resonance. Using a pattern of interconnectivity derived from more recent slit drum designs, Europe is placed at the center of the drum's five-part regional structure.
The mallets, representing regions, bear 100 decolonial dates (selected by a group of decolonial activists and thinkers from each region), linked to an online archive for awareness and consciousness raising. The base for each mallet includes the name of the region and a QR-code leading to an online decolonial archive produced and maintained as part of the project. The archive, simple and legible, starts with 1441, the year enslaved Africans were first transported to Europe. The drum's social use as a percussion instrument is limited to planned events, ensuring it doesn't disrupt the Berlin Global Village community
information
Object title | BELL DRUM/ TROMMELGLOCKE/ TAMBOR CAMPANA |
Material | aluminum/ steel |
Name | Pedro Lasch |