Elsewhere … in CBK Rotterdam – “Schaafijs en Wilde Bussen, Straatkunst in Suriname”

“Schaafijs en Wilde Bussen, Straatkunst in Suriname“, or, in English: “Shave-ice Carts and Wild Buses, Street Art in Suriname”. The name of a book, published in Dutch, but also the name of an exhibition in Centrum Beeldende Kunst Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The exhibition runs from May 3 to May 29 2011. Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 12:00-17:00, Nieuwe Binnenweg 75, Rotterdam. A festive opening has been planned for May 13 2011.

Suriname has known a flourishing culture of street art, with the painted buses and the colorful shave-ice carts as eye catchers that make a lasting impression on people who visit this Caribbean country on the South American continent. This resulted in a beautiful book, until now available only in the Dutch language, but in the near future hopefully in English too, by Chandra van Binnendijk, Paul Faber and Tammo Schuringa. And with the book came a unique exhibition, taking street art to another level, and bringing the street to the gallery …

Invitation

The exhibition has traveled, from Fort Nieuw Amsterdam in Suriname, to The Netherlands, where it could be seen in CBK Zuidoost, Amsterdam, Heden in The Hague and now in CBK Rotterdam. On display, work by Winston van der Bok, Ramon Bruyning, Ray Daal, Manoodj Gangadin, Johnny Khodabaks, Nishar Khodabaks, Bietje Kramer, Amatsoedir Mohamadigsan, Dennis Riebeek, Hendry Singoredjo, Elvis Sim Sjoe, André Sontosoemarto and Lloyd Wolff.

In 2010 three street artists from Suriname enjoyed a residency in The Netherlands. One of the projects in which they were involved was the painting of a former Köln city bus in the frontyard of the Partizan Publik residence by André Sontosoemarto and Ramon Bruyning.

Painting of a former Köln city bus in the frontyard of the Partizan Publik residence by Ramon Bruyning, 2010 / PHOTO Tammo Schuringa, 2010

The third artist in residence was Nishar Khodabaks who was inspired by postcards of girls in tradtitional clothing, a so called “Zeeuws meisje”, a girl from the Zeeland province, and a girl from Volendam, a small town where even today some people wear traditional clothing.

Old postcards

Girl from Volendam by Nishar Khodabaks, 2010 / PHOTO Courtesy Tammo Schuringa, 2010

‘Zeeuws meisje’ by Nishar Khodabaks, 2010 / PHOTO Courtesy Tammo Schuringa, 2010

An interesting oneminute movie about the painted buses was made by artist George Struikelblok and placed on YouTube. The short movie was nominated for an award in Shanghai, China, 2010.

Author Tammo Schuringa also mentions the exhibition and the book on his website. A quote: “In this book the history of Surinamese street art is reconstructed and its most important practitioners are presented. But above all Schaafijs en wilde bussen leaves an overwhelming visual impression of this little-known artistic explosion.”

In oerdigitaalvrouwenblad, an online magazine, ‘Volkse reclame’, a Dutch article by Grardus Boon.

The book is promoted, in Dutch, on the website of the Publisher, Kit Publishers.

A book review, ‘Schaafijs en wilde bussen’, in Dutch, by Justine Brunsmann, on the website Ooglijm.

In English, in the Caribbean Review of Books an article by Nicholas Laughlin: ‘Moving pictures. A portfolio of images from Suriname’s painted wilde bussen’.

And in The New York Times, by Simon Romero: ‘Traveling in Suriname. With Marley and Bush on the bus’.