In the name of Destà

Artivism, corporeality, and 'postcolonial pathways

Bibliographic Data

ID2179641
AuthorsSelby Wynn Schwartz
Year2022
Volume58
Issue5
Pages669-683
Publication date2022-09-03
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Postcolonial Writing (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1744-9855 • E-ISSN: 1744-9863
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/17449855.2022.2159768
OpenAlexW4313572589
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited23

This article examines an artivist intervention undertaken by the Italian transfeminist collective Non Una di Meno (Not One Less) in Milan. On March 8, 2019, when the collective marked the statue of well-known journalist Indro Montanelli with pink paint, they also marked out a space of reckoning with the racism and misogyny of Italian colonialism. Foregrounding the perspective of writer Igiaba Scego, this article traces the public reconsideration of Montanelli’s legacy in light of his treatment of a young Black girl named Destà under Italian colonial rule. Recentering Destà in this history has emphasized the corporeal politics of postcolonial Italy, sparked conversations about intersectional coalitions, and mapped out pathways for further decolonial activism. A diverse group of activists, artivists, public intellectuals, engaged citizens, decolonial collectives, and communities impacted by racism are not merely recuperating one colonized person’s history, but organizing in her name for a more just future

Aesthetics · Art · Colonialism · Foregrounding · Literature · Political science · Politics · Racism · Sociology · Anarchism and Radical Politics · Historical and Contemporary Political Dynamics · Italian Fascism and Post-war Society · Gender Studies · Law

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