The Vault of Terra Multis
In the course of the Dekoloniale Artist Residency 2024 “Colonial Ghosts – Resistant Spirits: Church, Colonialism and beyond” at the exhibition Dekoloniale – what remains?!, five selected guest artists present their works at the Museum Nikolakirche and also work with and in the public space of Berlin.
Tonderai Koschke: The Vault of Terra Multis
Rooted in research translated into practice, Tonderai Koschke’s work focuses on post-colonial identities and power dynamics in the built environment. Inspired by the material cultures and architectural heritage of her home Zimbabwe, she explores the disruption of traditions by colonialism. This led her to investigate the historical and spiritual significance of the monumental stone city ruin, Great Zimbabwe, and the practice of building with stone in Sub-Saharan Africa. She views learning about the past in all its complexity as a launchpad for imagining alternative presents and decolonial futures.
The art work
The Vault of Terra Multis bends time and space to connect visitors to stories of resistance to coloniality from the past and future of the “land of many”.
The Lore of Terra Multis (land of many) challenges the colonial myth of terra nullius (nobody’s land), the false narrative of an empty land which Europeans used as justification for their claims to colonized land. The lore features the histories and futures of various peoples from different parts of Africa, each of which are represented by the architectures of their civilizations.
Every story told in the installation is based on real events uncovered during research into the individual histories of the places featured, which include Great Zimbabwe, Kilwa Kisiwani (Tanzania) and Diy-Gid-Biy (Cameroon).
Tonderai Koschke
Tonderai Koschke is an architectural researcher and educator. She is a lecturer at Weissensee School of Art and Universität der Künste Berlin, her work focuses on post-colonial identities and power dynamics in the built environment. Having studied at TU Munich, EPFL Lausanne, and Harvard, she has worked at Architangle publishers, Boltshauser Architekten, and as a curatorial assistant at the Architecture Museum in Munich. She also co-founded Isusu Ffena, a pan-Afrikan collective based in Berlin, that produces events and a community festival.
Info & Service
Opening Hours
daily | 10 am – 6 pm (also on public holidays)
Differing opening hours:
Tue – Fri | 10. – 13.06. | closed (change of exhibition)
Thu | 19.06. | 10 am – 2 pm | closed from 2 pm onwards (private event)
Sat | 21.06. (Museum Festival / Fête de la Musique) | 10 am – 10 pm | free admission
Sat | 30.08. (Long Night of the Museums) | 10 am – 2 am
daily | 15.09. – 02.10. | closed (change of exhibition) 10. | closed (exhibition set-up)
Sat + Sun | 10.10. + 11.10. + 17.10 + 18.10. (Festival of Lights) | 10 am – 9 pm
Wed | 24.12. (Christmas Eve) | closed
Thu | 25.12. (Christmas Day) | 12 – 6 pm
Fri | 26.12. (Boxing Day) | 12 – 6 pm
Wed | 31.12. (New Year’s Eve) | closed
Thu | 01.01. (New Year’s Day) | 12 – 6 pm
The visitor rules of the Stiftung Stadtmuseum Berlin apply.
Directions
Nikolaikirchplatz
10178 Berlin
Contact
Infoline
+49 30 24 002-162
Mo – Fri | 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
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Tickets
Admission
Combi-Ticket
15 euros
Valid for our three museums in the Nikolaiviertel (Museum Nikolaikirche, Museum Ephraim-Palais, Museum Knoblauchhaus) on two consecutive days (please note opening hours)
Single Ticket
7 euros
Day ticket for the Museum Nikolaikirche
Free admission
With proof of reduction
For children & young people under 18, students, trainees, FSJ/FÖJ/BFD volunteers, Berlin-Ticket-S holders, severely disabled persons (with mark B) & accompanying person, refugees (with valid work or residence permit /eAT and Ukrainian passport or valid residence permit from Ukraine), recipients of residence permit /eAT and Ukrainian passport or valid residence permit from Ukraine), recipients of transfer benefits (citizen’s allowance, ALG I), holders of the Berlin-Brandenburg volunteer card, holders of the Super Holiday Pass / Berlin Family Pass, ICOM members, members of the German Museums Association, members of the Verein der Freunde und Förderer des Stadtmuseums Berlin e. V., KulturPass holders, media representatives with a valid press card