The exhibition presents 45 outstanding graduation projects from German design universities and thus offers a current insight into the creative positions of young designers. Among the selected designers is Poras Dhakan, who studied "Gemstones and Jewellery" at the Campus in Idar-Oberstein. Dhakan is represented with his master's thesis project "A Gift or a Theft - A call for the return of looted artefacts".
Dhakan's work operates at the interface of jewellery design, material research and critical historical reappraisal. In his jewellery objects, he addresses the return of looted artefacts and raises the question of whether what is considered a "gift" was not in fact a theft by the colonisers. In this context, he develops artistic "weapons" that are not intended to physically injure, but to have a cultural and discursive effect.
Dhakan describes his project as follows:
„This work considers the lingering echoes of colonial power, exploring how museums continue to shape narratives about India through the display of artefacts acquired during the era of imperial conquest. Questioning whether museums perpetuate "residual colonial legacies," it examines the complex relationship between cultural representation, historical interpretation, and the enduring impact of colonial practices. It focuses on objects imbued with a history of both violence and appropriation, as presented in such spaces. It questions whether the narratives surrounding these artefacts glorify colonial pasts and reinforce prejudicial views of India, effectively "holding the pen" to control the story.“
Dhakan had previously presented the project as part of an event in Idar-Oberstein, which focussed on the colonial appropriation of resources and cultural assets. The exhibition of themed pieces of jewellery was accompanied by a film screening and a panel discussion with the two participating artists Julia Obermaier and Anvita Jain. The discussion was moderated by Julia Wild and opened up an in-depth dialogue about responsibility, memory and representation.
The project is now being presented to a wider audience at the Dare to Design exhibition in Cologne. The exhibition sees itself as a platform for contemporary design strategies that address social challenges, from sustainability and social justice to post-colonial issues. This commitment is also reflected in the spatial realisation of the exhibition: borrowed or locally available building materials are used for the construction in order to reduce emissions and conserve resources. The exhibition is accompanied by workshops organised by individual graduates and guided tours.
Dhakan's contribution impressively demonstrates how design can not only be aesthetically but also politically effective. His work calls for an examination of colonial heritage and is therefore an exciting component of this year's exhibition at the MAKK - a place of dialogue, responsibility and creative vision.
In addition to Poras Dhakan, another graduate of Trier University of Applied Sciences is also taking part in the exhibition: Martha Remus draws attention to different aspects of poverty in everyday life in her autobiographical graphic novel "Heute gab es Fruchtjoghurt - Meine Kindheit in Armut".
Further information on the exhibition can be found on the website of the German Design Graduates and on the website of the MAKK Köln.
You can find more information about Poras Dhakan at his Website and on Instagram.
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