Figurine heads in Zurich school building are not considered discriminatory
Keystone-SDA
The 16 carved figurine heads in the auditorium of the Hirschengraben school building in Zurich are not discriminatory, according to an independent expert report. However, the report recommends placing the figures in a historical context.
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The report suggests a “conscious approach” to the depiction of peoples and makes clear recommendations, the Zurich Department of Education announced on Friday. Specifically, the figures should be preserved, but contextualised with information.
The city intends to follow these recommendations and examine implementation options, it said
+Switzerland and its colonistsExternal link.
The expert opinion was triggered by the 2021 report “Possibilities for dealing with colonial traces in the urban space”, which recommended a refurbishment for this assembly hall. The eight pairs of peoples were created in 1894/95 and symbolise cultures from all over the world.
The depictions are stylistically uniform, without caricaturing features or hierarchisation. According to the expert opinion, no pair is emphasised or belittled in comparison to others.
Translated from German by DeepL/ts
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