Kulde, kultur & Kolonialitet

I sporene fra Jessie Kleemanns Slæden på vej

Resumé

In this article, the author examines the contextual traces embedded in the artwork “Slæden på Vej” (The Sledge on the Way) made by Kalaaleq artist Jessie Kleemann from a decolonial perspective. Through an analysis of the artwork, the article argues that Danish coloniality in Kalaallit Nunaat – which includes the relationship between Kalaallit Inuit and Danes – constitutes a specific, local ‘colonial matrix of power’ within the all-encompassing ‘colonial matrix of power’, as it is defined by Walther Mignolo. The conclusion highlights the significant potential of contemporary art from Kalaallit Nunaat to expand Danish perceptions of the cultural horizon they share with the Kalaallit Inuit. The article thereby demonstrates how “Slæden på Vej” works as a catalyst of decolonial thinking and practices – offering a framework for raising Danish awareness of their own unfinished colonial history in Kalaallit Nunaat.