During the Algerian Revolution (1954–1962) the French civil and military authorities profoundly reorganized Algeria’s urban and rural territory, drastically transformed its built environments, rapidly implanted new infrastructure, and strategically built new settlements in order to keep Algeria under French colonial rule and protect France’s interests in Algeria. The exhibition unfolds the intrinsic relationships between architecture, military measures, colonial policies, and the planned production and distribution of visual records.
Discreet Violence
The exhibition at ETH Zurich unfolds the relationships between architecture, military measures, colonial policies, and the planned production and distribution of visual records.
View Article details
- 15 May 2017
- Hönggerberg
The exhibition features only one aspect of these territorial transformations: the construction of militarily controlled camps dubbed the centres de regroupement in Algeria’s rural areas. These spaces resulted from the creation of the forbidden zones – free fire zones – and engendered massive forced relocations of the Algerian population. Special military units called the Sections administratives spécialisées supervised the evacuation of the forbidden zones, the regrouping of the Algerian population, the construction of temporary and permanent camps, the conversion of a number of permanent camps to villages, and monitored the daily life of Algerian civilians. The aim of this regrouping was to isolate the Algerian population from the influence of national liberation fighters and to impede possible psychological and material support.
13 April – 3 June 2017
Discreet Violence: Architecture and the French War in Algeria
curated by Samia Henni
ETH Zürich
Stefano-Franscini-Platz 5, Hönggerberg