“Mother City of the Evil Fruits” critiques the role of metropolitan museums in perpetuating colonial narratives through their curation of artifacts. The project examines an incised pillow artifact, tracing its journey from China to a permanent collection in Brooklyn Museum, New York. The artifact, linked to the prestigious Falk family, reveals complex ties between trade colonialism between nation-states, and the metaphor of settle colonialism in gender. Through ontological and feminist lenses, the research uncovers the hidden histories and colonial violence embedded in the artifact’s narrative. This project seeks to challenge the educational role of museums, exposing how they often perpetuate colonial thinking within the system of public education, aiming to create new imaginaries that make the invisible visible.
