What is post-colonialism? It is a way of seeing and being seen in relation to colonialism. In Sarat Maharaj’s essay “Sublimated With Mineral Fury: Prelim Notes On Sounding Pandemonium Asia” he identifies and addresses problems with “post-colonial.” Maharaj argues that through the application of the term “post-colonial,” colonialism is always present. This is what is particularly illuminating about his argument. However, he does address the importance of the term as it refers to the temporal “post-colonial” moment, brought about by post-colonial discourse and praxis – and, that in this manner, “post-colonial” was, and arguably, may still function as a political tool.
Maharaj presents his argument on “post-colonial” by describing it as both a poison and a cure-all (120). Really here, with this statement, he is calling upon the reader to question how one sees the term and its function. This painting by Shahzia Sikander, I believe, illustrates Maharaj’s point, that there are multiple interpretations and ways of seeing “post-colonial.” And, as a scholar and curator, Maharaj is confronted with theoretical frameworks that construct and may contribute to the viewer’s way(s) of seeing the visual.
For example, in practice, Asian and women artists have had minimal exposure in the artworld; as a curator, therefore, one may choose to put-together a group show consisting of contemporary artists from Korea situated around Feminist practices in order to draw attention to this inadequacy – this is one position. Alternatively, what Maharaj argues is that, although the curator’s intention may be to do justice to this inadequacy in representation, this show would actually reinforce hegemonic power structures of colonialism and gender elitism within the artworld.
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