Mamelles Ancestrales - with Introduction (Extreme Presence Programme)

Megaliths are ancient stone monuments, often in the form of a circle, and are found all over the world. In The Gambia and Senegal, they are seen as shrines, reminding the locals of the rich cultures that existed in the region before it was colonised. Mamelles Ancestrales takes us to the core of the debate about the search for knowledge about these structures. Should scientific explanations get priority over spiritual or cultural interpretations? -- This programme is part of Extreme Presence, presented by Hartwig Art Foundation (23–25 October 2026). Extreme Presence gathers artists, thinkers, technologists and practitioners across a weekend of talks, performances, interventions and workshops, spread across three locations in Amsterdam Zuid—Hartwig Proxy (Parnassusweg 213), Cinema The Pulse, (Hildegard Von Bingenstraat 4) and the newly opened pop-up space Parnassus 212 (Parnassusweg 212). It continues and expands the research and R&D activities of the future Hartwig Museum (opening 2028), exploring devotional currents in contemporary art, digital technology, ecological and theological thought, alongside knowledge traditions that have long held presence and relation at the centre of practice. Consult the full programme schedule here: https://www.hartwigartfoundation.nl/en/programmes/extreme-presence/ Still: David Stjernholm as photographer and ©Courtesy of Tabita Rezaire and Goodman Gallery