Källa / Source - Nature Resists
Exhibition by Napoleon Maddox - Artist in Residence in Linnaeus Residency Programme 2026
Opening in presence of the artist.
Paintings and concept Napoleon Maddox and photo Sabine Buri
KÄLLA/SOURCE - NATURE RESISTS
Napoleon Maddox
24 September 2026 - 12 feb 2027 in the University Library, Växjö and hus Vita, 2nd floor, Kalmar
In a world where injustice has become normalized, nature takes its revenge. In Källa/Source, Napoleon Maddox intertwines stories of enslavement, revolt, resilience, and hope with contemporary issues of racism, marginalization, and the power of nature.
Through collage, text, photography, and glass, resistance emerges in many forms - both human and more-than-human. Nature emerges as an active force, responding to a world in which injustice has been normalized and presented as the natural order of things.
The collages are rooted in everyday materials - papers that would otherwise have been discarded: a bread bag, wrapping paper, packaging marked by traces of human encounters and lived experiences. By assembling these fragments, new narratives take shape, where the personal, the historical, and the imagined converge.
In Källa/Source, Napoleon Maddox aligns himself with nature in the struggle against colonizers across time. Throughout history, those who wield violence and control have often labeled their victims as terrorists, savages, or predators. The exhibition turns these perspectives upside down, asking: Who has the power to define who is civilized and who is barbaric? And who, in fact, are the real terrorists, savages, and predators?
About the Linnaeus Residency Programme
As Artist in Residence within the Linnaeus Residency Programme, run by The Cultural University, Napoleon Maddox has collaborated with researchers at the Linnaeus University Centre for Concurrences in Colonial and Postcolonial Studies. Concurrences is a leading Swedish and international research environment in postcolonial studies and global history, examining the human consequences of colonialism, imperialism, and other forms of domination throughout world history. Particular attention is given to those who have been displaced, exploited, and marginalized as a result of colonialism and imperialism.
During his residency, Maddox has also engaged with students and researchers from a range of disciplines and collaborated with cultural organizations including MONO Record Store, Växjö Art Gallery, and The Glass Factory in Boda. He has also met with numerous artists across Småland, fostering exchange, dialogue, and inspiration throughout his stay.
More about Napoleon Maddox https://www.lnu.se/en/meet-linnaeus-university/the-cultural-university/projects-and-productions/Current/napoleon-maddox/