{"id":2043,"date":"2025-06-21T15:10:08","date_gmt":"2025-06-21T15:10:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.www.good-broker.com\/?p=2043"},"modified":"2025-06-25T15:25:21","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T15:25:21","slug":"romeo-mivekannin-reinterprets-colonial-architecture-with-hand-welded-sculptures-at-art-basel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.www.good-broker.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/21\/romeo-mivekannin-reinterprets-colonial-architecture-with-hand-welded-sculptures-at-art-basel\/","title":{"rendered":"rom\u00e9o mivekannin reinterprets colonial architecture with hand-welded sculptures at art basel"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 class=\"wow wow-yellow\">Historical and Architectural Echoes at art basel 2025<\/h2>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Rom\u00e9o Mivekannin\u2019s Atlas, an installation of suspended metal <a href=\"https:\/\/www.designboom.com\/tag\/sculpture\/\"><strong>sculptures<\/strong><\/a>, is on view during <a href=\"https:\/\/www.designboom.com\/tag\/art-basel-2025\/\"><strong>Art Basel 2025<\/strong><\/a> as part of the Unlimited sector. Presented by Galerie Barbara Thumm in collaboration with Galerie C\u00e9cile Fakhoury, this exhibition of eight steel sculptures explores powerful themes of history, architecture, and cultural memory. Mivekannin\u2019s choice of material, hand-welded steel, forms intricate, cage-like structures that provoke thought and invite reflection on the legacies of colonialism and cultural representation.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1140305 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"rom\u00e9o mivekannin art basel\" width=\"818\" height=\"545\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.www.good-broker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/romeo-mivekann-untitled-art-basel-2025-atlas-unlimited-designboom-01.jpg\"><br \/>images \u00a9 <a href=\"https:\/\/bthumm.de\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Galerie Barbara Thumm<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wow wow-yellow\">Rom\u00e9o Mivekannin Reverses Colonial Narratives<\/h2>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>At first glance, the sculptures of Rom\u00e9o Mivekannin\u2019s Atlas evoke birdcages, a powerful symbol of entrapment, restriction, and loss of freedom at Art Basel 2025. These small-scale architectural forms are subtle replicas of buildings associated with the histories of colonization and ethnographic exhibitions, such as the Grand Palais in Paris and the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren, Brussels.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The sculptures represent museums that once housed ethnographic collections, and their design alludes to the structures where human zoos were historically staged. The <a href=\"https:\/\/bthumm.de\/artists\/romeo-mivekannin\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>artist<\/strong><\/a>\u2018s cages, raw and unadorned, stand in stark contrast to the opulence and grandeur these buildings project today, offering a visual counterpoint to the power dynamics they once represented.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1140306 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"rom\u00e9o mivekannin art basel\" width=\"818\" height=\"614\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.www.good-broker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/romeo-mivekann-untitled-art-basel-2025-atlas-unlimited-designboom-02.jpg\"><br \/>Rom\u00e9o Mivekannin\u2019s Atlas is an exhibition of suspended metal sculptures on view at Art Basel 2025<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wow wow-yellow\">\u2018atlas\u2019 celebrates Craft and Global Connections<\/h2>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Rom\u00e9o Mivekannin\u2019s work is a deliberate deconstruction of the historical narratives often perpetuated by these monumental structures. By exposing the forged iron skeletons of iconic buildings, Atlas challenges the symbols of power and luxury that have transformed these sites into tourist destinations. The use of steel \u2014 a material rich in symbolism and often associated with industrial domination \u2014 heightens the work\u2019s commentary on the exploitation embedded in architectural history. It is in the rawness of these forms that Mivekannin invites the viewer to reconsider the complex relationship between architecture, power, and cultural identity.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The hand-welding of these cages in C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire further deepens the installation\u2019s resonance. Mivekannin\u2019s emphasis on local craftsmanship counters the often-overlooked artistry of indigenous traditions in a globalized world. By grounding the sculptures in the hands of African artisans, he only honors these practices and subverts dominant global narratives that have marginalized such craftsmanship.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1140307 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"rom\u00e9o mivekannin art basel\" width=\"818\" height=\"614\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.www.good-broker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/romeo-mivekann-untitled-art-basel-2025-atlas-unlimited-designboom-03.jpg\"><br \/>the installation consists of eight steel sculptures resembling birdcages, symbolizing museums with ethnographic collections<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1140308 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"rom\u00e9o mivekannin art basel\" width=\"818\" height=\"511\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.www.good-broker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/romeo-mivekann-untitled-art-basel-2025-atlas-unlimited-designboom-04.jpg\"><br \/>the cages evoke the historical contexts of colonization and \u2018human zoos\u2019<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1140309 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"rom\u00e9o mivekannin art basel\" width=\"818\" height=\"545\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.www.good-broker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/romeo-mivekann-untitled-art-basel-2025-atlas-unlimited-designboom-05.jpg\"><br \/>Mivekannin\u2019s use of raw, unadorned steel contrasts with the opulence of iconic colonial-era buildings<\/p>\n<p>\t<!-- CLOSE ARTICLE CONTENT --><\/p>\n<div class=\"fullwidth-image\">\n<p>\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" width=\"1800\" height=\"1174\" alt=\"romeo-mivekann-untitled-art-basel-2025-atlas-unlimited-designboom-06a\" style=\"width: 100%;height: auto\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/static.designboom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/romeo-mivekann-untitled-art-basel-2025-atlas-unlimited-designboom-06a.jpg\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"layout-box\">\n<div class=\"page-content\">\n<p>the sculptures expose the forged iron skeletons of structures like the Grand Palais and the Crystal Palace<\/p>\n<p \/>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>\t<!-- OPEN ARTICLE CONTENT -->\t<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1140310 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"rom\u00e9o mivekannin art basel\" width=\"818\" height=\"1022\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.www.good-broker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/romeo-mivekann-untitled-art-basel-2025-atlas-unlimited-designboom-07.jpg\"><br \/>Atlas challenges the symbolic luxury and power associated with these historic landmarks<\/p>\n<p>\t<!-- CLOSE ARTICLE CONTENT --><\/p>\n<div class=\"fullwidth-image\">\n<p>\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" width=\"1800\" height=\"1200\" alt=\"romeo-mivekann-untitled-art-basel-2025-atlas-unlimited-designboom-08a\" style=\"width: 100%;height: auto\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/static.designboom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/romeo-mivekann-untitled-art-basel-2025-atlas-unlimited-designboom-08a.jpg\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"layout-box\">\n<div class=\"page-content\">\n<p>the cages are hand-welded in C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire, emphasizing the importance of local African craftsmanship<\/p>\n<p \/>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>\t<!-- OPEN ARTICLE CONTENT -->\t<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>project info:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>name:\u00a0<\/strong>Atlas<\/p>\n<p><strong>artist: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/bthumm.de\/artists\/romeo-mivekannin\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rom\u00e9o Mivekannin<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/romeomivekannin\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@romeomivekannin<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>gallery:\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/bthumm.de\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Galerie Barbara Thumm<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/galerie_barbara_thumm\/?hl=en\">@galerie_barbara_thumm<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>event:<\/strong>\u00a0Basel Art Week 2025<\/p>\n<p><strong>on view: <\/strong>June 16th \u2014 22nd, 2025<\/p>\n<p><strong>photography:\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a9 Galerie Barbara Thumm<\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/www.designboom.com\/art\/romeo-mivekannin-colonial-hand-welded-sculpture-art-basel-unlimited-06-21-2025\/\">rom\u00e9o mivekannin reinterprets colonial architecture with hand-welded sculptures at art basel<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.designboom.com\">designboom | architecture &amp; design magazine<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Historical and Architectural Echoes at art basel 2025 \u00a0 Rom\u00e9o Mivekannin\u2019s Atlas, an installation of suspended metal sculptures, is on view during Art Basel 2025 as part of the Unlimited sector. Presented by Galerie Barbara Thumm in collaboration with Galerie C\u00e9cile Fakhoury, this exhibition of eight steel sculptures explores powerful themes of history, architecture, and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2045,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[15],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.www.good-broker.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2043"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.www.good-broker.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.www.good-broker.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.www.good-broker.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.www.good-broker.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2043"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.www.good-broker.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2043\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2052,"href":"http:\/\/www.www.good-broker.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2043\/revisions\/2052"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.www.good-broker.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2045"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.www.good-broker.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2043"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.www.good-broker.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2043"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.www.good-broker.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2043"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}