Facing Reparations – the case of Elephants & Squirrels

After a short introductory exchange with artist Deneth Piumakshi Veda Arachchige via Zoom, the film will be screened, following the artist and director Gregor Brändli in their endeavour. Thereby, this session examines the restitution of sacred subjects and human remains in Basel. With no attempt to demonize the Swiss institutions involved, the film opens a critical space on colonial extraction: How were collections formed, and can Switzerland truly face its own reparations?