Terrible Beauty: Elephant – Human – Ivory

A major exhibition and series of events exploring the complex cultural history of ivory will be held at Humboldt Forum, Berlin, from 20 July 2021. 

Through more than 200 objects from world-renowned museum collections, the exhibition will present a critical examination of the fraught relationship between elephants, humans, and ivory, whilst a line-up of art films, discussions and educational events will offer a forum for debate. A new publication on the topic, with contributions from artist Ai Wei Wei and writer and illustrator David McKee amongst many others, will complement the programme. Terrible Beauty: Elephant – Human – Ivory coincides with the opening of Humboldt Forum, the largest new cultural development in Europe.

The programme at Humboldt Forum will explore the cultural significance of ivory on a global scale, and the social and ecological consequences of its use. Whilst other materials often perished or were repurposed and transformed over time, objects made from tusk ivory have often survived for centuries, if not millennia. The history of ivory is therefore an account of human history, its allure as old as humanity itself. As far back as 40,000 years ago, humans used mammoth tusks to create what are now the oldest known artefacts, and the appeal and appreciation of the material continues to this day. In the more recent past, animal tusks have come to symbolise injustice and brutality.

On loan from major international collections, including the British Museum, V&A, Musée du Louvre and the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna, the objects in the exhibition span areas such as archaeology, religion, medicine, art history, biology and zoology. Exhibits include a late 15th or early 16th century hunting horn from Sierra Leone, a 17th century ivory tankard made by Roman Emperor Leopold I, an 18th century porcelain sculpture of Hercules und Omphale, and an album of etchings of elephant skulls by Henry Moore in 1969-70. A series of archival photographs, prints and postcards will also be displayed.

The exhibition as part of the entire programme will reveal the millennia-old history of ivory through objects dating from the 15th and 16th centuries to the present day, offering a broad spectrum of perspectives: from the material itself and ways of working with it to the colonial connotations of the tusk as a motif, from the influence of ivory on medicine and ideals of beauty to its role as a mark of refinement. The exhibition also examines whether and how ivory can be presented in museums in any way, shape, or form, given that it is such a charged biological material. A documentary project, Voices of Ivory, will also be presented as part of the exhibition. Through video interviews with experts, conservationists, customs officials and ivory collectors, the installation presents a range of views on the use of ivory and the issues surrounding this.

A programme of classic films featuring elephants will take place from October 2021. Expanding on the themes in the exhibition, the screenings will include 20 feature, animation and documentary films for all ages: from Elephant Queen to Elephant Boy and from Hatari to Light of Asia.

A focus day on the topic will feature participatory events throughout Humboldt Forum, including tours and talks with curators, debates with international guests, discussions, a family programme with hands-on activities, workshops with activists, and artistic performances. Musical interludes will feature throughout the day followed by an evening concert. 

An accompanying series of discourses and discussions will further explore the topic through a series of six moderated events. In association with the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and the animal welfare organisation IFAW, the discussion programme will explore the many viewpoints on the relationship between elephants, humans and ivory.

The exhibition and the events programme are accompanied by a new, fully illustrated publication, Terrible Beauty: Elephant – Human – Ivory, published by Hirmer Verlag (200 pages, German and English editions, €29). With contributions from international authors and artists, including artist Ai Weiwei, National Geographic explorer Asher Jay, ethnologist Nanette Snoep, and writer and illustrator David McKee amongst others.