AfricaMuseum hosts event on origins of African objects

The AfricaMuseum in Tervuren held an event on Saturday about research into the origins of African art and cultural objects.

The event was part of the museum’s PROCHE project. This project, working with partners such as the National Museums of Congo, looks into how objects from Africa ended up in Belgium.

Researchers have identified more than 83,000 objects from Congo and Central Africa in the museum’s collection. They are now studying who collected or brought these items to Belgium.

The research focuses on people such as soldiers, scientists, missionaries, colonial officials and art dealers. It also looks at the role of companies and religious groups.

So far, the project has found 2,300 people or organisations linked to these objects. Around 1,000 are connected to just one item. Others are linked to many more. Some 123 people are connected to hundreds of objects, while 18 people are linked to more than 1,000 items each.

The museum says the project helps create more transparency about its collection and supports open discussion about its history.

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