Sustaining the Otherwise: The Earth as a Wayfinder

September 19-20, 2024
Lusaka Contemporary Art Center (LuCAC), Zambia

Sustaining the Otherwise: The Earth as a Wayfinder was an experimental research forum curated by Amal Alhaag and Selene Wendt. This two-day event was designed to foster meaningful dialogues around restitution, with particular emphasis on the importance of transformative ecosystems.  

The Earth as a Wayfinder was organized around four basic themes: (Un)rooting Knowledge, Sonic Memory Work, Transformative Ecosystems in Practice, and Becoming at One with the World. By focusing on pluriversal narratives, histories, and perspectives, this forum seeks to create a fertile ground for local and international discussions on restitution, as considered in relation to spatial and architectural histories, land (dis)possession, and reparative futures.

This unique program offered a collaborative space for artists, thinkers, researchers, designers, and activists to exchange ideas and strategies. Our goal was to address the complexities of restitution in direct relation to artistic and design practices, while also considering the broader implications of knowledge restitution across Africa and its diasporas.

The program featured a keynote lecture by Ngaire Blankenberg (The Institute for Creative Repair, Johannesburg); performances by Agnes & Lawrence Yombwe, Ogutu Muraya, and Damien Ajavon, with additional contributions by Amal Alhaag, Michael Barrett, Jim Chuchu, Letaru Dralega, Sana Ginwalla, Mulenga Kapwepwe, Linda Lamignan,  George Mahashe, Cliff Moustache, Andrew Mulenga,  Victor Mutelekesha, Stary Mwaba, Camille Norment, Kaloki Nyamai, Victoria Phiri, and Selene Wendt. 

This was an opportunity to explore “restitutional (re)thinking” through a multidisciplinary approach that reimagines restitution beyond the objects, emphasizing the critical role of art and design in this transformative process.