C& Center of Unfinished Business Traveling Reading Room on Colonialism

The C& Center of Unfinished Business is a traveling reading room that assembles an extraordinary selection of works related to colonialism, from German colonization to Congolese fashion and 21st-century financial markets. Launched in 2017, the reading room has traveled to institutions in Cincinnati, Hong Kong, Berlin, Vienna, Toulouse, Athens, Kassel, and New York. It fosters encounters and open conversations about persistent colonial power relations, including challenges of accessibility and historical awareness, prompting critical review and inviting art institutions to interrogate their own blind spots. The collection includes works from C&'s own holdings as well as from host institutions and always seeks to include a local grassroots organization. The project does not aim to be a coherent, exhaustive library on colonialism, as colonialism remains an unfinished business persisting in various forms. Partner institutions include ifa (Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen) in Berlin, Museum Ludwig in Cologne, Les Abattoirs Musée in Toulouse, Para Site in Hong Kong, Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati, and Vera List Center in New York. The reading room is available in multiple formats; inquiries can be sent to mnegusse@contemporaryand.com.