Through the Dynamic Memory Lab, the CPPD engages in varying collaborations to create temporary exhibition modules that make different dimensions of plural cultures of remembrance visible.

Applying an open laboratory approach, the Dynamic Memory Lab develops its content through an exploratory process and reacts to the dynamics of remembrance cultures in the form of a spatial intervention. The project is process-led, expandable, changeable – like memory itself. It creates a space for communicating and recognising individual stories and historical events that too often receive little attention within the discourse of remembrance politics. The modular spatial system was conceptualised and designed by the architect Jan Bodenstein and the product designer Yair Kira.

Cycles of Decolonisation

The immersive exhibition “Cycles of Decolonisation” curated by Cátia Severino and André Soares reflects on how the legacies of European colonialism and the challenges of mental decolonisation continue to shape relationships among peoples and cultures in Europe. Colonisation is examined not as a mere historical event but as a living structure that persists in contemporary inequalities and hierarchies within Europe.

In the first part, the exhibition examines five interrelated key concepts of colonisation as defined by the Portuguese artist Grada Kilomba, presented through various artistic contributions: Dehumanisation and Violence, Racialisation, Denied Memory, Displacement, and Silencing and Erasure.

The exhibition refers to the ongoing process of transforming mindsets, understanding one’s social standing, healing wounded memories, and embracing diverse identities. Recognising the colonial structures embedded in language, culture, and thought is a crucial first step toward dismantling them in today’s supposedly “post-colonial” world.

“Cycles of Decolonisation” invites visitors to engage actively in fostering dialogue, promoting critical awareness, and taking meaningful steps toward justice and human dignity. It encourages questioning established histories, listening to neglected narratives, and creating space for diverse perspectives.

The exhibition inspires collective efforts to build a more inclusive and plural future grounded in equitable relationships and respect for difference.

The exhibition will have its premiere in Berlin in March 2025.

Codes of Memory in Sinti- und Roma*

Curated by Hamze Bytyçi, theatre and media pedagogue and president of RomaTrial e.V., the exhibition made codes of memory from Roma* and Sinti* communities visible, commemorated them in the exhibition context, and reconfigured them in the process. The participatory design of the Dynamic Memory Lab invited visitors to the exhibition, as bearers of memory, to reflect upon their codes of memory, to share their stories, and to locate them within the framework of our plural societies.

The first Dynamic Memory Lab was opened in collaboration with RomaTrial e.V. on the grounds of the Volksbühne at Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz in Berlin on 2 August 2023, addressing the topic ‘Codes of Memory in Sinti* and Roma* Communities’. The catalyst for the exhibition was Roma Holocaust Memorial Day.