‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / ‘The Carriers of the Image’ – 3 – Winston van der Bok
De Dragers van het Beeld, in English: The Carriers of the Image, is an art exhibition that was held in the foyer of Theatre Thalia, from April 28 until May 7, 2017. It was part of the celebration of 180 years Theatre Thalia. Eight visual artists worked with the theme of death, and more: resurrection from death, new life …
Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi wrote a series of columns that we will be sharing on the SAX-blog. Today part 3, a text that accompanied the art work of Winston van der Bok. Please find the Dutch text under the English translation.
On the right: Winston van der Bok, ‘Transformation – Siwalapa (war club) motifs’, acrylic on wood, 2017 – USD 300 a piece / PHOTO Ada Korbee
Nicole Smythe-Johnson, curator from Jamaica and EdKe, Surinamese visual artist, discussing the exhibition On the right: Winston van der Bok, ‘Transformation – Siwalapa (war club) motifs’, acrylic on wood, 2017 – USD 300 a piece / PHOTO Ada Korbee
Winston van der Bok and the theme ‘transformation’
Transformation is a concept that characterizes the life of Winston van der Bok.
If you ask Winston why he chose the theme ‘transformation’, he says: ‘Thalia is 180 years old and it’s no longer as it was 180 years ago. It has been through several transformations and will go through yet another transformation again.’
‘Transformation is what I focus on in the arts. I am indigenous and want breathe new life into old traditions. The indigenous tribes all over the world have been pushed aside. I want to raise awareness for the valuable old cultures of the Indigenous. It is my calling to transform that which has always lived, and still lives, within my deepest being into a contemporary art form.’
When Winston talks about his life, it becomes clear that his whole life is made up of transformations. True to his native character, Winston does not adhere to a numeric year count and essentially lives a timeless existence. He looks at his life as a labyrinth of roads that he has traveled. There is no real beginning, and every end is a new beginning.
Winston was born in 1947 in a very small village on the Cottica River, as third child in a family of seven children. Straight from his mother’s hammock, the young baby was given to two strangers who wanted the little baby very badly. His parents were convinced that the foreigners would be able to provide their child with a better future.
Winston grew up in the USA, where two strict, but fantastic foster mothers raised him, until he was about fifteen years old. Around his fifteenth birthday he was suddenly sent back to Suriname. He would ride on the Cottica River in a canoe with his father, surrounded by a muttering of languages he did not understand. Upon arriving back in his village, his mother knelt at his feet. She inspected his left ankle, saw the birthmark, and knew that her son had returned.
Winston moved to Paramaribo and married a beautiful city creole woman. Together they had two sons. His wife passed away at a young age. His sons were nine and six years old. For many years there was no woman in Winston’s life and he raised his sons all by himself.
Winston studied at the Surinaamse Academie voor Beeldende Kunsten (SABK) [Surinamese Academy for Visual Arts] and worked, for many years, in visual communications, graphic design and product marketing for businesses. He also became a graphic design teacher at the AHKCO.
He became ill. It was an acute pancreatitis that was not diagnosed as such initially. He came face to face with death. It was beautiful. A pleasant journey without barriers, straight through everything.
A successful operation brought him back into the world of the living. His son fed him like a baby and his girlfriend came from the Netherlands to take care of him. From that point on a new life had begun. A new transformation had taken place.
Characters, patterns and symbols similar to those you might see on petroglyphs, the traditional weaving and pottery of the Indigenous, are important elements in the art of Winston. Remarkable is the appearance of movements without a beginning and without an end in his work.
TEXT Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi, 2017
Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi is a female visual artist from Suriname. She works and lives in Paramaribo, Suriname, South America. Kit-Ling studied visual art in Suriname and in the Netherlands. In 2005 Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi added the short video-film as a medium to her artwork. Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi makes paintings and drawings, inspired by the tropical rainforest, and the richness of the diverse cultures in Suriname.
Kit-Ling was the featured visual artist at the 13th International Conference of the Association of Caribbean Women Writers and Scholars. This conference, The Caribbean, the Land and the People; Women’s Efforts, Women’s Lives, was held in Suriname, in May 2012. Kit-Ling was the recipient of the Bridget Jones Award for 2013.
TRANSLATION Cassandra Gummels-Relyveld, 2017
PHOTOGRAPHY Ada Korbee & Marieke Visser, 2017
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‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / ‘The Carriers of the Image’ – 1 – Introduction
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 2 – Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 3 – Winston van der Bok
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 4 – Razia Barsatie
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 5 – Soeki Irodikromo
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 6 – Dhiradj Ramsamoedj
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 7 – Sri Irodikromo
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 8 – Anand Binda
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 9 – George Struikelblok
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Winston van der Bok en het thema ‘transformatie’
Transformatie is een begrip dat het leven van Winston van der Bok kenmerkt.
Als je Winston vraagt waarom hij heeft gekozen voor het thema ‘transformatie’, zegt hij: ‘Thalia is 180 jaar en is niet meer zoals het 180 jaar geleden was. Het heeft meerdere transformaties meegemaakt en zal ook weer een transformatie ondergaan.’
‘Transformatie is waarmee ik in de kunst bezig ben. Ik ben Inheems en ik wil oude tradities nieuw leven inblazen. Inheemsen zijn overal in de wereld weggedrukt. Ik wil de oude waardevolle cultuur van de Inheemsen onder de aandacht brengen. Het is mijn roeping om wat altijd in mijn diepste wezen heeft geleefd en nog steeds leeft, te transformeren naar een hedendaagse kunstvorm.’
Als Winston over zijn leven vertelt, blijkt zijn gehele leven uit transformaties te bestaan. Eigen aan zijn Inheemse karakter, kent Winston geen jaartallen en leeft in principe een tijdloos bestaan. Zelf ziet hij zijn leven als een labyrint van wegen die hij heeft bewandeld. Er bestaat niet echt een begin en elk einde is een nieuw begin.
Winston werd geboren in 1947 in een heel klein dorp aan de Cotticarivier, als derde kind uit een gezin van zeven kinderen. Als baby werd hij zo vanuit zijn moeders hangmat meegegeven aan twee vreemdelingen, die de kleine baby heel graag wilden. Zijn ouders waren van mening dat de buitenlanders hun kindje een betere toekomst konden geven.
Tot ongeveer zijn vijftiende jaar, groeide Winston op in de USA, streng opgevoed door twee fantastische pleegmoeders. Rond zijn vijftiende werd hij plotseling teruggestuurd naar Suriname. Hij voer met zijn vader in een korjaal op de Cotticarivier en werd omringd door een geroezemoes van talen die hij niet verstond. In zijn geboortedorp aangekomen, knielde zijn moeder aan zijn voeten. Ze inspecteerde zijn linkerenkel, zag de moedervlek en constateerde dat haar zoon was teruggekeerd.
Winston verhuisde naar Paramaribo en trouwde met een prachtige stadscreoolse. Ze kregen twee zoons. Op jonge leeftijd kwam zijn vrouw te overlijden. Zijn zoons waren negen en zes jaar oud. Jarenlang was er geen vrouw in Winston zijn leven en hij voedde zijn zoons helemaal alleen op.
Winston studeerde aan de Surinaamse Academie voor Beeldende Kunsten (SABK) en was jarenlang werkzaam op het gebied van de visuele communicatie, vormgeving en productmarketing voor bedrijven. Hij werd daarnaast ook docent grafische vormgeving op het AHKCO.
Hij werd ziek. Het was een acute alvleesklierontsteking die in de eerste instantie niet als zodanig werd onderkend. Hij heeft de dood gezien. Het was mooi. Een prettige reis zonder barrières dwars door alles heen.
Een goed geslaagde operatie bracht hem terug naar de wereld van de levenden. Zijn zoon voedde hem als een baby en zijn vriendin kwam uit Nederland om voor hem te zorgen. Daarmee is een nieuw leven begonnen. Er heeft een nieuwe transformatie plaatsgevonden.
Tekens, patronen en symbolen zoals je die kunt zien in de rotstekeningen, het vlecht- en aardewerk van de Inheemsen zijn belangrijke elementen in het werk van Winston. Opmerkelijk is de verschijning van bewegingen zonder begin en zonder einde in zijn werk.
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / ‘The Carriers of the Image’ – 2 – Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi
De Dragers van het Beeld, in English: The Carriers of the Image, is an art exhibition that was held in the foyer of Theatre Thalia, from April 28 until May 7, 2017. It was part of the celebration of 180 years Theatre Thalia. Eight visual artists worked with the theme of death, and more: resurrection from death, new life …
Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi wrote a series of columns that we will be sharing on the SAX-blog. Today part 2, a text that accompanied her art work. Please find the Dutch text under the English translation.
Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi, ‘Alakondre Phoenix’, 2017 / PHOTO Ada Korbee, 2017
Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi and the Alakondre Phoenix
Within the framework of 180 years Theatre Thalia, I, Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi, chose the phoenix as my subject.
The phoenix
This mythical creature fascinates me for several reasons.
In the first place, because it’s a bird and I have always seen the bird as a free spirit. The soaring bird takes me back to the time when I was a teenager dancing ballet, and I experienced that as the ultimate freedom to express emotions. Secondly, because of the fictional stories that balance somewhere on the edge between reality and fantasy, something I often like to do within the visual arts as well.
Thirdly, because the phoenix is a universal symbol of resurrection and immortality, but also of death and rebirth. As such the phoenix fits seamlessly within the theme we chose for the celebration of 180 years Thalia.
The fourth reason is that it’s a legendary bird that dies through self-sacrifice. Self-sacrifice intrigues me because in this world of people who give and take, those who only take, emanate such dominance. Is this group truly that large, or does it only seem so?
And fifth, because such mythical creatures seem to exist in different cultures. The phoenix is often compared to the Chinese Fenghuang and to the Garuda known in India as well as in Indonesia. The phoenix is even compared to the Mexican Quetzalcoatl.
The phoenix is described as a magnificent divine bird with feathers in striking colors and that can sing beautifully. His age ranges from 300 to 100.000 years. At the end of his life he sets himself on fire on a bed of fragrant herbs and from his ashes another phoenix arises.
Sometimes the phoenix is described as a heron, sometimes he has the characteristics of a peacock, and at other times he looks like an eagle.
The Alakondre Phoenix
Born and raised in Suriname, I have, when it comes to the visual arts, been on a quest through cultural diversity and hybridism. Ultimately this has led me to Alakondre. Why is Alakondre more than cultural diversity to me? Cultural diversity essentially involves different people. Alakondre is also within the individual persons.
I have currently defined Alakondre as follows: the adaptation of all cultures, from all countries, by the individual human being and by the various communities that inhabit the world. In order to be able to take Alakondre onto yourself, you have to open yourself up to those other cultures. You have to be curious and must want to learn more about the other cultures. When you embrace the other culture, it becomes a part of you. Because it becomes a part of yourself, you cannot hate it. With Alakondre there will be no more racial discrimination, and even less racial hatred.
My phoenix is an Alakondre Phoenix. It can be an egret, a sabaku. It can be an eagle, a gonini, but it can just as well be a simple small bird, a grietjebie (Great Kiskadee) or a pikan (Squirrel Cuckoo).
Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi, ‘Alakondre Phoenix’, 2017 / PHOTO Ada Korbee, 2017
Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi, ‘Alakondre Phoenix’, 2017 / PHOTO Ada Korbee, 2017
TEXT Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi, 2017
Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi is a female visual artist from Suriname. She works and lives in Paramaribo, Suriname, South America. Kit-Ling studied visual art in Suriname and in the Netherlands. In 2005 Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi added the short video-film as a medium to her artwork. Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi makes paintings and drawings, inspired by the tropical rainforest, and the richness of the diverse cultures in Suriname.
Kit-Ling was the featured visual artist at the 13th International Conference of the Association of Caribbean Women Writers and Scholars. This conference, The Caribbean, the Land and the People; Women’s Efforts, Women’s Lives, was held in Suriname, in May 2012. Kit-Ling was the recipient of the Bridget Jones Award for 2013.
TRANSLATION Cassandra Gummels-Relyveld, 2017
PHOTOGRAPHY Ada Korbee & Marieke Visser, 2017
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‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / ‘The Carriers of the Image’ – 1 – Introduction
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 2 – Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 3 – Winston van der Bok
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 4 – Razia Barsatie
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 5 – Soeki Irodikromo
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 6 – Dhiradj Ramsamoedj
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 7 – Sri Irodikromo
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 8 – Anand Binda
‘De Dragers van het Beeld’ / The Carriers of the Image – 9 – George Struikelblok
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Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi en de Alakondre Phoenix
In verband met 180 jaar Thalia koos ik, Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi, voor het onderwerp ‘Phoenix’ of ‘Feniks’.
De Feniks of Phoenix
Het fabeldier boeit me om verschillende redenen.
Ten eerste omdat het een vogel is en ik heb de vogel altijd als een ‘free spirit’ (vrije geest) gezien. De zwevende vogel brengt me terug naar de tijd toen ik als tiener ballet danste en dat ervoer als summum van vrijheid in het uiten van emoties.
Ten tweede vanwege de gefantaseerde verhalen die balanceren op de rand van werkelijkheid en fantasie, zoals ik ook vaak zelf binnen de beeldende kunst wens te balanceren.
Ten derde omdat de feniks is een universeel symbool van wederopstanding en onsterfelijkheid is maar ook van dood en wedergeboorte. Hierbij sluit de feniks naadloos aan bij het thema dat we voor 180 jaar Thalia uitkozen.
Ten vierde omdat het een legendarische vogel is, die sterft door zelfopoffering. Zelfopoffering intrigeert me, omdat in deze wereld van mensen die geven en nemen, de mensen die alleen maar nemen, zo een dominantie uitstralen. Is die groep werkelijk zo groot of lijkt het maar zo?
Ten vijfde blijkt een soortgelijk fabeldier in verschillende culturen voor te komen. De feniks wordt vaak vergeleken met de Chinese Fenghuang en met de Garuda, die je zowel in India als in Indonesië tegenkomt. De feniks wordt zelfs vergeleken met de Mexicaanse Quetzalcoatl.
De feniks wordt beschreven als een prachtige goddelijke vogel met een vederdracht in schitterende kleuren en die prachtig kan zingen. Zijn leeftijd varieert van 300 tot 100.000 jaar. Aan het einde van zijn leven steekt hij zichzelf in brand op een bed van geurige kruiden en uit zijn as ontstaat een nieuwe feniks.
De ene keer wordt de feniks beschreven als reiger, soms heeft hij karakteristieken van een pauw. Een andere keer lijkt hij op een arend.
De Alakondre Phoenix
Geboren en opgegroeid in Suriname heb ik op het gebied van de beeldende kunst, een speurtocht door culturele diversiteit en hybriditeit gemaakt. Ik ben nu uiteindelijk terechtgekomen bij Alakondre. Waarom is voor mij, Alakondre meer dan culturele diversiteit? Bij culturele diversiteit zijn er in principe meerdere mensen betrokken. Alakondre zit ook in de individuele personen.
Alakondre heb ik nu als volgt gedefinieerd: de adaptatie van alle culturen van alle landen door de individuele mens en door de verschillende leefgemeenschappen die de wereld bevolken. Om in staat te zijn Alakondre tot je te nemen, moet je jezelf openstellen voor die andere culturen. Je moet nieuwsgierig zijn om te weten hoe die andere cultuur in elkaar zit. Als je die andere cultuur in jezelf opneemt, wordt het een onderdeel van jezelf. Omdat het een onderdeel van jezelf is, kan je het niet haten. Met Alakondre zal er dan geen rassendiscriminatie zijn, nog minder rassenhaat.
Mijn Phoenix of Feniks is een Alakondre Phoenix. Het kan een reiger zijn, een sabaku. Het kan een arend zijn, een gonini, maar het kan ook een eenvoudig klein vogeltje zijn, een grietjebie of een pikan.
Surinamese art with magic powers
The turning point was a visit to the family altar of his mother in the Surinamese rain-forest. That was in 2005, tells Surinamese-Dutch artist Remy Jungerman (on Facebook) in a video in his exhibition. The reason for the visit was the passing away of his father. But that altar, that physical location with its winti-rituals, right at that moment, meant so much to Jungerman, that he decided to break with his earlier work. ‘This is what I really am,’ he says in the video, ‘Something I have been initiated in’.
Remy Jungerman, ‘FODU. Composition 24’, (detail of a wall installation consisting of 24 panels for the Projects Room, 410x270x35cm, wood, textile, kaolin (pemba), 2015 / PHOTO Femke DIx, 2015
Video shown in the exhibition Crossing the water:
What that turning point led to, can be seen in his exhibition in the Haags Gemeentemuseum: six sculptural installations, of large geometric shapes. It is mostly squares that can easily go along with the art history further down in this museum – Mondriaan, Rietveld. But they also have patterns that Jungerman, who himself grew up in a Maroon community, borrowed from the rich visual traditions of the Maroons in the interior. In the 20’s of the previous century, these descendants from the run-away slaves, developed fabric with all kinds of geometric patterns. They are beautiful and Jungerman collected them in his studio. But he wanted more. He thus enrolled at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam. He studied there with the objective to bring winti-traditions together with those other cultures that excelled in graphic abstractions in the 20’s: the European avant-gardes. Subsequently he named his exhibition Crossing the Water. About bridging oceans.
Mixing cultures is no mathematical formula and Jungerman knows that. His sculptures therefore represent primarily himself, his aesthetics, and his graphic predilections. According to his own insights he combines wood with checkered cloths, tablecloth plaids, Dutch Wax patterns, Maroon designs. A monochromatic blue panel à la Yves Klein hangs next to frames that are reminiscent of how Daan van Golden elevated ordinary handkerchiefs to art. A type of Mondriaan at the kitchen table.
But that perspective by no means makes it insignificant. Because what Jungerman especially does also, is approach his work with the ritualistic point of view from the winti-religion. The white that he paints with is kaolin, a type of clay used by winti to cover their skin and their African sculptures to guard against evil influences. Covered with this, his art works are protected. They are as a matter of fact, named after rituals: Fodu, Initiands, Obeah. He alternates the flat squares with cubes, one of which holds a jar that is wrapped in red thread, which clearly shows the meticulous way of working. An abstract work of art indeed, but also a small altar. And for a moment Jungerman takes us along, in our thoughts, to the altar of his mother.
He continuously brings elements together. On occasion, in an altar block with stoneware gin bottles next to rum bottles, it looks somewhat contrived – a bit too Benetton, colors hand in hand – but for the rest the combinations come together naturally in his unique sense of beauty, with reverence and spirituality. And the beauty is: spirituality is exactly that which Mondriaan and his associates strived for. Many visitors will forget that when seeing those solemnly hung abstract works of art in the strict museum halls, but therein lays a cosmic aim for higher things as well. With color and life Jungerman brings back that look of Mondriaan’s aesthetics. Bridging oceans, that mission has been completely successful.
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Exhibition: Remy Jungerman (also on Facebook), Crossing the Water, April 11 until August 16, 2015, in Haags Gemeentemuseum. Stadhouderslaan 41, the Hague, the Netherlands. Tuesday-Sunday 11:00 am-7:00 pm.
More information about this artist can be found on his website: www.remyjungerman.com and on his Facebook-page.
Invitation ‘Crossing the Water’
During the opening of ‘Crossing the Water’ Remy Jungerman had an art conversation with Mondriaan-expert Hans Janssen, Haags Gemeentemuseum, April 11, 2015 / PHOTO Femke Dix, 2015
From May-July 2015 Remy Jungerman was invited by Marc Straus Gallery for a residency in New York City. On July 19, 2015, from 11:00am-18:00pm you’re cordially invited to the Open Studio (on Facebook) to see the result from the three months residency. Where: 286 Grand Street, New York, NY 10002, USA.
Open Studio Remy Jungerman / PHOTO Courtesy Remy Jungerman
TEXT Sandra Smets
Sandra Smets (Haarlem, 1970) is an art historian, and writes mostly about contemporary art, including art in public spaces. She has worked at the Centrum Beeldende Kunst Rotterdam for over ten years and is, since 2006, a visual arts employee at the NRC Handelsblad. She also writes for various magazines, artist catalogues and publications, about the art of the reconstruction and developments in the twentieth century. Website: www.sandrasmets.nl
This article was previously published in Dutch as ‘Surinaamse kunst met toverkracht’ in NRC Handelsblad, April 23, 2015.
NRC Handelsblad, April 23, 2015
PHOTOGRAPHY Femke Dix
Femke Dix (Paramaribo, 1989) is a student at the University of Applied Photography in Amsterdam. She started making photographs in 2005 and after studying something else it became the job of her dreams after all. In a year’s time she will finish her study and she will enter the field as a freelance photographer. She established Femfoto (on Facebook) in 2010 and it exists for 5 years already. She is most interested in documentary photography and she is currently working on a photographical documentary about the burial customs of the Afro-Surinamese community. Website: www.femfoto.nl
TRANSLATION Cassandra Gummels-Relyveld, June 2015
Surinamese participation in Plein Air Curacao 2015 (clippings & videos)
Every other year, the tropical island of Curaçao hosts a successful Plein Air Festival. During this festival, local and international plein air artists paint outdoors at various locations on Curaçao. With oils, watercolors, pastels and other media these artists bring to life the beauty of Curaçao, its people and its culture to be permanently exposed abroad through paintings in homes, galleries and musea.
The third edition of the Plein Air Curaçao festival, February 26-March 7, 2015, successfully hosted both Plein Air and Plein Eau painting. Artists came from all corners of the world for the 10-day Caribbean art extravaganza. Artist George Struikelblok (Suriname) lent his expertise and enthusiasm to the Curaçao version of “Big Power of Small Blocks” whereby kids from orphanages and other youth group homes created their art by painting on small wooden blocks. Together with blocks painted by local artists, these “Curaçao Cubes” were exhibited and sold. Proceeds went towards the art programs at these institutions. The festival ended with an exciting 3-hour quick-draw competition and bustling street fair in the historic downtown area of Willemstad.
AD, March 2, 2015
Amigoe, February 27, 2015 1
Amigoe, February 27, 2015 2
Clipping, February 28, 2015
Express, MArch 5, 2015
Explore Curacao, March 2015
AD, March 3, 2015
There was a large delegation from Suriname who participated. Peter Thielen made videos, a series of 11. We show the first one here, the rest can be seen in our Vimeo-collection or on the FVAS Facebook page.
From March 9 through March 18, 2017 Art Foundation Curaçao will host the 4th Plein Air Festival on the tropical island of Curaçao. Local and international artists will paint on land as well as underwater. A variety of media will be used with emphasis on oils, watercolors and pastels. Workshops are given for adults, teens and kids. Paintings made on the last day of the festival are entered in a contest. Paintings made during the festival will be put up for sale.
Back to Basics: the ‘Oneliners’ of Els Tjong Joe Wai
Invitation
What: Oneliners, an exhibition by Els Tjong Joe Wai
When: March 6, 7 & 8, 2015, 19:00-22:00 hrs. Opening March 6, 19:00 with performance by Tolin Alexander
Where: Sukru Oso, Cornelis Jongbawstraat 16a, Paramaribo, Suriname
![Els Tjong Joe Wai in front of a work that was on display in a previous exhibition, Zonder titel [Untitled] / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014](https://srananart.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/img_0934.jpg)
Els Tjong Joe Wai in front of a work that was on display in a previous exhibition, Zonder titel [Untitled] / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
After an intense change of direction – the sudden passing of her loved one – she once again reverted back to the basics. After the initial mourning, the feeling of wanting to do ‘something’ again, hesitantly crept upwards. But what? And where to begin? “I also make objects, so I didn’t necessarily have to start painting or drawing. I could also have started sticking or pounding or gluing things. But I thought: keep it simple. Just begin with a pencil. Just start with a line. That was very liberating. And thus entirely new work came into existence.”
From the one-liners series by Els Tjong Joe Wai / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
From the one-liners series by Els Tjong Joe Wai / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
From the one-liners series by Els Tjong Joe Wai / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
From the one-liners series by Els Tjong Joe Wai / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
From the one-liners series by Els Tjong Joe Wai / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
From the one-liners series by Els Tjong Joe Wai / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
From the one-liners series by Els Tjong Joe Wai / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
She calls this new work her ‘one-liners’. Although this word is something out of linguistics, she does feel that it fits well here: it is after all a clear and straightforward image. Her one-liners are done on beautiful drawing paper and she also uses paper made from banana leaves. She gets the latter from the Matoekoe foundation in Lelydorp. The drawings are made with ink and a drawing pen. Although she certainly likes different colors as well, Tjong Joe Wai currently prefers working with black because she feels that the sobriety of it is most compelling to the work she makes now.
There are also larger ‘one-liners’ on paper made from the fibers of the banana plant. From the one-liners series on banana plant ‘paper’, by Els Tjong Joe Wai / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
There are also larger ‘one-liners’ on paper made from the fibers of the banana plant. From the one-liners series on banana plant ‘paper’, by Els Tjong Joe Wai / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
There are also larger ‘one-liners’ on paper made from the fibers of the banana plant. From the one-liners series on banana plant ‘paper’, by Els Tjong Joe Wai / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
There are also larger ‘one-liners’ on paper made from the fibers of the banana plant. From the one-liners series on banana plant ‘paper’, by Els Tjong Joe Wai / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
There are also larger ‘one-liners’ on paper made from the fibers of the banana plant. From the one-liners series on banana plant ‘paper’, by Els Tjong Joe Wai / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
A small ‘one-liners’ on paper made from the fibers of the banana plant. From the one-liners series on banana plant ‘paper’ by Els Tjong Joe Wai / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2015
The one-liners are small, in postcard dimensions, but there are also larger ones, measuring up to A-3 in size. She started large and felt comfortable doing so. But afterwards she discovered that working small was actually very exciting and that she could be much more stylized in those. With the smaller one-liners especially, she uses a magnifying glass to avoid the risk of lines touching one another where they are not intended to.
Els Tjong Joe Wai loves working on paper. The one-liners may have been born out of a difficult period, but they give her much pleasure.
At her next exhibition – which is planned for March 7 &8 2015 – she will show her one-liners and also several watercolors. It will be her second exhibition in Suriname. The first one, named Zonder titel (without title), took place in December of 2011 and it was the exhibition at which she introduced herself as an artist in her own country.
Before her ‘one-liners’ Els made several watercolors of figures that have maneuvered themselves in impossible positions. She calls those ‘spagaten’ (splits). From the splits series by Els Tjong Joe Wai / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
Before her ‘one-liners’ Els made several watercolors of figures that have maneuvered themselves in impossible positions. She calls those ‘spagaten’ (splits). From the splits series by Els Tjong Joe Wai / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
Before her ‘one-liners’ Els made several watercolors of figures that have maneuvered themselves in impossible positions. She calls those ‘spagaten’ (splits). From the splits series by Els Tjong Joe Wai / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
Before her ‘one-liners’ Els made several watercolors of figures that have maneuvered themselves in impossible positions. She calls those ‘spagaten’ (splits). From the splits series by Els Tjong Joe Wai / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
Before her ‘one-liners’ Els made several watercolors of figures that have maneuvered themselves in impossible positions. She calls those ‘spagaten’ (splits). From the splits series by Els Tjong Joe Wai / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
Her book, Zonder title [Untitled], is still available at Book store Vaco (also on Facebook) and at Readytex Art Gallery (also on Facebook).
‘Zonder Titel / Untitled’, cover
Els Tjong Joe Wai (Paramaribo, 1952) went to the Ruudt Wackers art academy (also on Facebook) in Amsterdam, 1998-2001. From 2001 to 2009 she lived in Aeropolis, Greece. In 2009 she moved back to Suriname as visual artist and opened Art Gallery Sukru Oso in 2011.
![Els Tjong Joe Wai in front of a work that was on display in a previous exhibition, Zonder titel [Untitled] / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014](https://srananart.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/img_0930.jpg)
Els Tjong Joe Wai in front of a work that was on display in a previous exhibition, Zonder titel [Untitled] / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
Chandra van Binnendijk (Paramaribo, 1953) is editor and publicist. From 1977 until 1988 she was part of the news editors of various newspapers and radio stations, and was a correspondent for various Caribbean media. After ten years she said goodbye to active journalism and is since focusing mostly on culture, art and history. She has co-written several art publications amongst which Twintig jaar beeldende kunst in Suriname 1975 – 1995 (Amsterdam, KIT Publishers, 1995) and she was author and compiler of the art catalog Zichtbaar (Paramaribo, 2005) about the art collection of De Surinaamsche Bank. Recent publications in which she was involved as co-author and co-compiler are Bouwstenen voor een betere wereld. 250 jaar vrijmetselarij in Suriname (Paramaribo, 2011) and TOR. A People’s Business (Paramaribo, 2012).
TRANSLATION Cassandra Gummels-Relyveld, 2014
Reducing the distance – Razia Barsatie
On October 1st Razia Barsatie started her period as artist in residence at Tembe Art Studio (TAS) in Moengo. The relationship between the artist and Moengo however, had started much earlier. Razia was a student at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in the Netherlands from 2008 until 2012. At that that time, while doing an internship in Suriname, she already visited Tembe Art Studio. Her colleague Ravi Rajcoomar was then the artist in residence there.
Invitation for unveiling installation by Razia Barsatie
Since her return to Suriname, now a little over two years ago, Razia has made the trip to this former mining town in the district of Marowijne, many times. She also helped there during the Moengo Festival of Theater & Dance in September 2014, and she is already part of the team working on the preparations for the Moengo Visual Arts Festival of 2015. “I just love driving to Moengo. I often do so alone. Then I simply enjoy the surroundings and the rest and the opportunity to just think about all kinds of things.” That others often ask if she isn’t afraid to go to Moengo and especially to make the drive all by herself – which incidentally she is not at all – has put her to thinking. “People know so little about Moengo. What they do know, is what they see in the press, and that is often only the negative news. But there is so much that is positive. But the distance is an obstacle. Because of that the negative seems closer and the positive is kept at a distance. That is unfortunate.”
A sketch for the installation / PHOTO Cassandra Gummels-Relyveld, 2014
When the opportunity for her own artist in residence period came along, Razia knew immediately that this would be her subject for the artwork she would leave behind in Moengo. That artwork does not stand there yet. The concept is ready, the choice of materials is for the main part complete, but there are some questions still surrounding the execution. It is after all not a simple object. The art installation that Razia will leave behind in the art park at Moengo is a very large telescope. And preferably one that really works. The telescope will stand there as a symbol of reducing the distance; of bringing the positive closer. The positive side of Moengo should be clearly visible for anyone daring to take a closer look. Distance should not be an obstacle when you want to discover something new.
According to the original concept, the four meter long telescope will be positioned on top of a hill in Moengo, directed towards a beautiful spot or object in the area. The telescope will be ‘carried’ by two human figures covered on the outside with bauxite stones from the area. That the telescope will come, that is certain. Whether it is an actual magnifying telescope depends on the results of Razia’s search for the appropriate telescopic glass. And where exactly it will stand, and whether it will be on a hill, is something that will be determined very soon. “For now there is still a plan A, a plan B, etc, etc …”, says the artist. “Because if you have an idea, you should just go for it. Eventually you will find a solution for everything. Where that is concerned I always keep a few alternatives in mind”.
This way of thinking is something that Razia has taken with her from her studies at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie. “There they put great emphasis on the conceptual. You learn that the idea, the concept, is very important, and not so much the execution”. Razia is indeed very much focused on the conceptual when it comes to her art. She specialized in video art at the Rietveld academy, but she is also very interested in installation art. Regardless of the medium that she chooses however, it is always the concept that takes precedence in her work. That was already clearly visible at her first solo exhibition in Suriname called Anxious, where in addition to video animations, she also showed a wrought iron installation. It is also clear in more recent projects (in French Guyana and at Het Surinaamsch Rumhuis of the SAB for example) where she incorporated aromatic spices in her art. The addition of scent makes a much broader sensory experience of the artwork and this is something that Razia intends to experiment with further.
An installation with fresh peppers, made by Razia Barsatie in French Guyana during an Inter Guyanese Cultural festival. “What was important to me: the scent of pepper coming from the installation. The scent was actually the work of art; the
patterns were just presentation.” / PHOTO Courtesy Razia Barsatie
An installation with fresh peppers, made by Razia Barsatie in French Guyana during an Inter Guyanese Cultural festival. “What was important to me: the scent of pepper coming from the installation. The scent was actually the work of art; the
patterns were just presentation.” / PHOTO Courtesy Razia Barsatie
Old rum barrels from
Suriname Alcoholic Beverages N.V. (SAB), decorated with spices by Razia Barsatie during
the first Museum Night in Suriname, in Het Surinaamsch Rumhuis (Facebook) on May 18, 2014 / PHOTO Courtesy Razia Barsatie
Old rum barrels from
Suriname Alcoholic Beverages N.V. (SAB), decorated with spices by Razia Barsatie during
the first Museum Night in Suriname, in Het Surinaamsch Rumhuis (Facebook) on May 18, 2014 / PHOTO Courtesy Razia Barsatie
Old rum barrels from
Suriname Alcoholic Beverages N.V. (SAB), decorated with spices by Razia Barsatie during
the first Museum Night in Suriname, in Het Surinaamsch Rumhuis (Facebook) on May 18, 2014 / PHOTO Courtesy Razia Barsatie
Old rum barrels from
Suriname Alcoholic Beverages N.V. (SAB), decorated with spices by Razia Barsatie during
the first Museum Night in Suriname, in Het Surinaamsch Rumhuis (Facebook) on May 18, 2014 / PHOTO Courtesy Razia Barsatie
Old rum barrels from
Suriname Alcoholic Beverages N.V. (SAB), decorated with spices by Razia Barsatie during
the first Museum Night in Suriname, in Het Surinaamsch Rumhuis (Facebook) on May 18, 2014 / PHOTO Courtesy Razia Barsatie
Razia has also introduced an interesting concept during the art lessons that she gives to the children in Moengo and surroundings as part of her residency. Instead of the standard drawing lessons, she makes short animation films with the children using drawings that they have made. In the films the children act out their own stories, visually as well as vocally. The concept was received with much enthusiasm by the kids. They start with a full-color drawing of a favorite place from their own surroundings, followed by a drawing of themselves. The latter is then cut out and glued to a pencil so that the figures can then be moved against the background of the first drawing. The children are divided in groups and together they make up a story which they play out and which is then filmed by Razia. The creativity of the children is thus stimulated on different levels and they learn to work together effectively. “The children really enjoy doing this. Sometimes they don’t even want to go home.” Razia hopes to also present the results of this project at the upcoming Moengo Visual Arts Festival in 2015.
The children in Moengo working on the animation film project / PHOTO Courtesy Razia Barsatie, 2014
The children in Moengo working on the animation film project / PHOTO Courtesy Razia Barsatie, 2014
The children in Moengo working on the animation film project / PHOTO Courtesy Razia Barsatie, 2014
A still from the animation film project / PHOTO Courtesy Razia Barsatie, 2014
A still from the animation film project / PHOTO Courtesy Razia Barsatie, 2014
A still from the animation film project / PHOTO Courtesy Razia Barsatie, 2014
Sometime in January the artwork of Razia Barsatie will proudly stand on the spot that the artist has ultimately chosen for it. People from Moengo, young and old, visitors, and others from the surroundings, will curiously look through the glass of the telescope to see what it is that Razia wants them to see. It will surely be something special. Because if you dare to take a good look, and don’t get scared away by distances, there is a lot that is worth discovering, and certainly in Moengo. Good luck Razia!
Razia’s wire sculptures, during the Open Day at Prakwaki on 19 January 2014 / PHOTO Courtesy Razia Barsatie
Razia’s wire sculptures, during the Open Day at Prakwaki on 19 January 2014 / PHOTO Courtesy Razia Barsatie
Razia’s wire sculptures, during the Open Day at Prakwaki on 19 January 2014 / PHOTO Courtesy Razia Barsatie
Razia’s wire sculptures, during the Open Day at Prakwaki on 19 January 2014 / PHOTO Courtesy Razia Barsatie
TEXT Cassandra Gummels-Relyveld
Cassandra Gummels-Relyveld is a freelance writer. Aside from her work for Sranan Art Xposed, she writes primarily for the Readytex Art Gallery in Paramaribo, Suriname. She writes press releases, website texts and takes care of the publicity materials surrounding the exhibitions and other activities of the gallery.
On the Sranan Art Flickr-page please find an album with photos by Peter Thielen and Cassandra Gummels-Relyveld of the presentation of Razia Barsatie‘s installation ‘San e soi faawe e kon koosube’ (‘Iets wat ver lijkt is eigenlijk dichtbij’ or ‘Something that seems far away is actually nearby’) on February 15, 2015, in Moengo, Marowijne district, Suriname.
A video registration from the unveiling of Razia Barsatie’s installation, February 15, 2015, by Peter Thielen: Razia Barsatie – ‘San e soi faawe e kon koosube’, Moengo, Marowijne, Suriname
Jews in the Caribbean. Four Centuries of History in Suriname and Curacao
On January 30, 2015 the Jewish Historical Museum in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, opened with a new exhibition: Jews in the Caribbean. Four Centuries of History in Suriname and Curacao. For the first time an extensive exhibition will shed light on the rise and fall of the Jewish communities in countries such as Brazil, Curaçao and Suriname.
The exhibition will be open from January 30 until June 14, 2015.
Jews in the Caribbean. Four Centuries of History in Suriname and Curacao
The sponsors of the exhibition
Although this is not an event about visual arts, we still feel it is good to share this with our Sranan Art Xposed audience. Sasha Dees offered to share her photos with us and so we are grateful to share these with you.
This exhibition is about an important part of Surinamese history. The presence of Jewish people in the Caribbean has added many flavors and colors to the fabric of our culture as we know it today.
Also, this year, we, the SAX Team, want to take a closer look at museums and how they display/share their collection.
Opening night ‘Jews in the Caribbean’, Cindy Kerseborn on the right / PHOTO Sasha Dees, 2015
Opening night ‘Jews in the Caribbean’, Dorien van Hinte-Rustwijk / PHOTO Sasha Dees, 2015
Opening night ‘Jews in the Caribbean’, Eddy Wijngaarde in the background / PHOTO Sasha Dees, 2015
Opening night ‘Jews in the Caribbean’, Ellen Tjon A Meeuw / PHOTO Sasha Dees, 2015
Opening night ‘Jews in the Caribbean’, Jennifer Smit / PHOTO Sasha Dees, 2015
Opening night ‘Jews in the Caribbean’, John Leerdam and friend / PHOTO Sasha Dees, 2015
Opening night ‘Jews in the Caribbean’, Mike Ho Sam Sooi / PHOTO Sasha Dees, 2015
Opening night ‘Jews in the Caribbean’, Nancy Jouwe and Gianni Campbell / PHOTO Sasha Dees, 2015
Opening night ‘Jews in the Caribbean’ / PHOTO Sasha Dees, 2015
Opening night ‘Jews in the Caribbean’, Pearl Dias / PHOTO Sasha Dees, 2015
Opening night ‘Jews in the Caribbean’, Rudy Chotoe and partner / PHOTO Sasha Dees, 2015
PHOTOS Sasha Dees, 2015
Sasha Dees: “I want to provide a platform for emerging artists who push limits, cross borders and break down barriers. Art for me is about communication, confronting people without imposing, and creating a dialogue that offers a different perspective. I am interested in the collaboration between different cultures, traditions, genders and between the various art disciplines. All art disciplines are equally important to me –performing arts, visual arts, new media, literature and film. I work with artists who experiment with the classical art forms, who mix them up and break them down– not to destroy, but to analyze, re-use and build something new.”
Sasha lives for the arts. She has 15 years of experience as an international cultural producer and curator working on numerous projects in all art disciplines. She was one of the pioneers in rebuilding the cultural exchange between The Netherlands and Suriname (Caribbean). She also works with American artists and organisations: curating and scouting American talent for European venues and festivals as well as initiating, producing and/or advising on art and cultural exchanges and international collaborations.
Next to her own projects she founded- together with Philip Powel- the not for profit organisation for the arts John106.
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A blog post by Peter Sanches about the exhibition (Dutch language) can be found here: http://mofokoranti.nl.
Article about exhibition in ‘De Telegraaf’, February 2, 2015
On YouTube an interview with curator Julie-Marthe Cohen (Jewish Historical Museum) about the exhibition Jews in the Caribbean.
Als on YouTube: a promo video for ‘A kippah in the Caribbean’, a video production by Tanja Fraai and Mike Ho-Sam-Sooi.
Sylvio Alatoe – Taking creative decisions founded on feelings
Sylvio Alatoe (Galibi,1985) graduated from the Nola Hatterman Art Academy at the end of 2012. Even though he is no longer a student, he still always attends workshops and lessons when visiting-lecturers are present. He wants to keep developing himself as an artist and regards it as being important to actively participate in artistic activities. He also conducts workshops for children. In his daily life he works as a government security officer. He hopes in the future to be able to fully devote himself to art. He was born in Galibi, in the district of Marowijne, and is proud of his indigenous origin.
Sylvio Alatoe with one of his paintings / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
Sylvio Alatoe was prominent at the National Art Fair 2013, which was held during Carifesta XI. He described his style in the catalogue as being ‘symbolic fantasy’. In a glance, when you look at the paintings, it is clear that there is a lot going on in the head (and heart) of this young , then still unknown artist.
Sylvio Alatoe, ‘Dream’, 93×68,5 cm, 2013, National Art Fair 2013 / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2013
Sylvio Alatoe, ‘Paradise’, 86×70 cm, 2013, National Art Fair 2013 / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2013
A work from the time that Alatoe was still a student at the NHAA. Sylvio Alatoe, ‘My mother making cassava bread’, installation at the expo ‘A Kba, Ma A De Ete’ in Fort Zeelandia, 2012 / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2012
Detail from a work from the time that Alatoe was still a student at the NHAA. Sylvio Alatoe, ‘My mother making cassava bread’, installation at the expo ‘A Kba, Ma A De Ete’ in Fort Zeelandia, 2012 / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2012
Even as a child he was always drawing. His mother said: ‘You always did those strange things. You were different.’ At the age of fourteen he went to the city. He stayed at Zaailand Boarding School in Zorg en Hoop. He was still continually busy with drawing. That was noticed and people asked that he come paint for them. That’s how he made a painting for a music formation, something which they could display during their performances. He laughs as he reminisces: ‘I bought water and oil paint and wanted to mix that. But that was totally unsuccessful.’ In the meantime Sylvio was stimulated by his brother-in-law to register himself at the Nola Hatterman Art Academy. ‘I thought that he was teasing me. I couldn’t believe that such a thing really existed: schooling for artists.’ He was taken there by his brother-in-law and Sylvio registered immediately.
Only women ‘write’ and decorate. The painted sun is a ‘maluana’, called a ‘tumero’ in Kalinha, with which Sylbi expresses his appreciation for women. Sylvio Alatoe, detail from untitled work, from ‘My Red Culture’, 2014 / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
Only women ‘write’ and decorate. The painted sun is a ‘maluana’, called a ‘tumero’ in Kalinha, with which Sylbi expresses his appreciation for women. Detail from Sylvio Alatoe’s untitled work, from ‘My Red Culture’, 2014 / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
At Nola he especially learned to utilize his feelings. To take creative decisions by listening to his feelings. ‘That is the foundation. And I also apply that in my daily life.’ Teachers as Humphrey Tawjoeram, George Struikelblok, Sunil Puljhun, Kurt Nahar, Kenneth Flijders . . . Their lessons have made a deep impression on the young artist. Marcel Pinas is a big example. ‘He utilizes his culture, he doesn’t allow his things to die out. He doesn’t write it down, but displays it. I find that fantastic.’ He is also inspired by Anand Dwarka, especially due to his use of colors.
Sylvio Alatoe, untitled work, from ‘My Red Culture’, 2014 / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
Sylvio Alatoe, untitled work, from ‘My Red Culture’, 2014 / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
When a ‘piayman’ is deceased, music is made with the ‘maraka’, and dancing until dawn. The colors in the background refer to the night turning into day. Sylvio Alatoe, untitled work, from ‘My Red Culture’, 2014 / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
Sylvio Alatoe’s most recent works are all about his indigenous culture: ‘My Red Culture’ is the tentative title of the exposition towards which he is working. For Alatoe it is important to document something of his Carib culture. He explains that little to nothing has been written down; the knowledge and stories are passed on orally. ‘The Piayman (Pronounce: p-eye-man) was and is the source of all knowledge. Everything goes through him, orally. I want to transfer such things.’
Sylvio Alatoe, untitled work, from ‘My Red Culture’, 2014 / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
He currently signs his work with “Sylbi”: ‘This symbolizes the cooperation between the spiritual and the physical. Sylvio is the name I got at birth, I use the first part of that: Syl. And bi comes from Galibi, which stands for the spiritual.’
What does he want to achieve with his art? ‘ I want to give people as my message that you can learn from art, and that you can express your feelings in art.’ I ask him how his mother finds it, what he does now. ‘She is happy. “This is what you always were”, she says.’
The two sides that are part of life are depicted on the face of this indigenous man. Sylvio Alatoe, untitled work, from ‘My Red Culture’, 2014 / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
The two sides that are part of life are depicted on the face of this indigenous man. Sylvio Alatoe, detail from untitled work, from ‘My Red Culture’, 2014 / PHOTO Marieke Visser, 2014
TEXT Marieke Visser, Boxel, May 2014
TRANSLATION David F. Michael
Marieke Visser (Bennekom, the Netherlands, 1962) studied journalism and language and literature in the Netherlands. As publicist she writes a lot about art, culture, history and tourism from her own news agency Swamp Fish Press. Three large art projects to which she has recently contributed are: Wakaman Drawing lines, connecting dots, Paramaribo SPAN and Kibii Wi Koni Marcel Pinas The Event. She is currently editor in chief of Sranan Art Xposed.
This article was previously published, in Dutch, in the quarterly EFM Magazine (also on Facebook), nr. 9, July 2014. Subscripe to the free EFM newsmailing here. Sranan Art Xposed is in collaborates with EFM Magazine on the art & culture content.
Dagmar de Kok – Fables from the oven
Why do zebras have stripes, is the hippo hairless and do almost all birds fly except for the chicken? To find an answer you don’t have to consult the internet or the National Geographic, but need only to turn towards the ceramic works of Dagmar de Kok-Ngobese (1977).
![Dagmar de Kok, work from the series 'Fabelachtig' [Fable-like], at the Ouder- en Kindcentrum [Parent- and Child center] (OKC) Gaasperdam in Amsterdam Zuidoost / PHOTO Auke VanderHoek](https://srananart.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/4-best-okc-3.jpg)
Dagmar de Kok, work from the series ‘Fabelachtig’ [Fable-like], at the Ouder- en Kindcentrum [Parent- and Child center] (OKC) Gaasperdam in Amsterdam Zuidoost / PHOTO Auke VanderHoek
![Dagmar de Kok, work from the series 'Fabelachtig' [Fable-like] / PHOTO Auke VanderHoek](https://srananart.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/5-fotograaf-aukevanderhoek_.jpg)
Dagmar de Kok, work from the series ‘Fabelachtig’ [Fable-like] / PHOTO Auke VanderHoek
![Dagmar de Kok, work from the series 'Fabelachtig' [Fable-like], at the Ouder- en Kindcentrum [Parent- and Child center] (OKC) Gaasperdam in Amsterdam Zuidoost / PHOTO Bart Krieger](https://srananart.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/foto-51.jpg)
Dagmar de Kok, work from the series ‘Fabelachtig’ [Fable-like], at the Ouder- en Kindcentrum [Parent- and Child center] (OKC) Gaasperdam in Amsterdam Zuidoost / PHOTO Bart Krieger
De Kok, has executed this story in two separate sculpture groups. The part with the dog on a richly ornamental base, suggesting abundance. Attached to the ceiling above that, a cloud that is inhabited by the birds. Through the use of material, color, mass and not in the least the connecting story, a synergy is unearthed. However, both parts in and of themselves posses sufficient expressiveness and iconographical value, which is why they can also be displayed separately. Stronger yet, De Kok aims to continue the artistic investigation into ‘fable-like’, to increasingly experiment with disconnecting parts of fables, and thus tell never existing fables ‘all over again’ in ceramic sculpture groups.
Dagmar de Kok / PHOTO Courtesy Dagmar de Kok
In the artistic application of glazed and unglazed material, a cross-pollination seems to occur between flora and fauna. The skin of the animals for example, is often reminiscent of a grassy plain, a lunar landscape, or a rock formation eroded by a river. The landscape elements of her sculpture, on the other hand, often have animal-like characteristics and look like coral reefs where things are quite beastly and the law of the fittest applies.
Dagmar de Kok, zebra / PHOTO Courtesy Dagmar de Kok
Dagmar de Kok, deer / PHOTO Courtesy Dagmar de Kok
Her most recent work is in front of the Ouder- en Kindcentrum [Parent- and Child center] (OKC) Gaasperdam in Amsterdam Zuidoost. This is where her first outdoor sculpture was unveiled on February 19th 2014. Here she also found inspiration in African storytelling tradition. As inspiration for this sculpture group ‘Stoet’ De Kok choose the story of the discarded dog. While looking for a better future, the dog playfully found new animal friends. The moral of the story being, that through friendship and cooperation, even the largest of obstacles can be successfully overcome. Growing up and making friends naturally also has everything to do with the task of the OKC as supporter in raising children.
![Dagmar de Kok, work from the series 'Fabelachtig' [Fable-like] / PHOTO Courtesy Dagmar de Kok](https://srananart.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/dk-foto-4.jpg)
Dagmar de Kok, work from the series ‘Fabelachtig’ [Fable-like] / PHOTO Courtesy Dagmar de Kok
![Dagmar de Kok, work from the series 'Fabelachtig' [Fable-like] / PHOTO Courtesy Dagmar de Kok](https://srananart.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/dk-foto-3.jpg)
Dagmar de Kok, work from the series ‘Fabelachtig’ [Fable-like] / PHOTO Courtesy Dagmar de Kok
![Dagmar de Kok, work from the series 'Fabelachtig' [Fable-like] / PHOTO Courtesy Dagmar de Kok](https://srananart.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/dk-foto-2.jpg)
Dagmar de Kok, work from the series ‘Fabelachtig’ [Fable-like] / PHOTO Courtesy Dagmar de Kok
![Dagmar de Kok, work from the series 'Fabelachtig' [Fable-like], at the Ouder- en Kindcentrum [Parent- and Child center] (OKC) Gaasperdam in Amsterdam Zuidoost / PHOTO Bart Krieger](https://srananart.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/foto-2.jpg)
Dagmar de Kok, work from the series ‘Fabelachtig’ [Fable-like], at the Ouder- en Kindcentrum [Parent- and Child center] (OKC) Gaasperdam in Amsterdam Zuidoost / PHOTO Bart Krieger
![Dagmar de Kok, work from the series 'Fabelachtig' [Fable-like], at the Ouder- en Kindcentrum [Parent- and Child center] (OKC) Gaasperdam in Amsterdam Zuidoost / PHOTO Bart Krieger](https://srananart.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/foto-31.jpg)
Dagmar de Kok, work from the series ‘Fabelachtig’ [Fable-like], at the Ouder- en Kindcentrum [Parent- and Child center] (OKC) Gaasperdam in Amsterdam Zuidoost / PHOTO Bart Krieger
![Dagmar de Kok, work from the series 'Fabelachtig' [Fable-like], at the Ouder- en Kindcentrum [Parent- and Child center] (OKC) Gaasperdam in Amsterdam Zuidoost / PHOTO Bart Krieger](https://srananart.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/foto-4.jpg)
Dagmar de Kok, work from the series ‘Fabelachtig’ [Fable-like], at the Ouder- en Kindcentrum [Parent- and Child center] (OKC) Gaasperdam in Amsterdam Zuidoost / PHOTO Bart Krieger
They have become a kind of contemporary, three-dimensional totem poles, that also bring to mind the European folk tale ‘De Bremer straatmuzikanten’. Just as in her smaller work, she went in search of an artistic interpretation for the animals. She once again found this in the finishing of the skin.
To increase the ability to climb it, De Kok decided to stack the animals in three separate sculptures. By positioning the animals in one walking direction towards the entrance of the building, not only is the entrance emphasized, but a cohesion is achieved between the sculpture-group, the plaza and the building. This cohesion is further underlined by the safety surfacing (to prevent playing children from getting hurt) which frames the whole like an oasis complete with shadows.
Dagmar de Kok is also affiliated with Galerie De Ploegh, in Soest, the Netherlands.
The above analysis was written in response to the unveiling of ‘Stoet’ on February 19, 2014, and the exhibition Nieuw! Buitenkunst in Zuidoost, in CBK Zuidoost, Amsterdam Zuidoost. This was on display until March 22, 2014.
TEXT Bart Krieger
TRANSLATION Cassandra Gummels-Relyveld
Bart Krieger (1970) writes about art and culture for among other things, the digital magazine SAX and newsmagazine Parbode. After his education in art history at the ‘Vrije Universiteit’, he started as a journalist for Het Parool (art- and city editor). For the past six years he was employed as a policy officer at the art councils of Rotterdam and Amsterdam.
aRt with the R of Religion in the Middle
In present-day Dutch society art and religion seem to be at odds with each other just as much as the mixing of church and state. Such matters should remain strictly separated, was taught by the ‘enlightened’ Europe after the French Revolution. But does that way of thinking still apply after all those centuries? With titles such as: ‘Matthew 14:18/21’, ‘Psalms 91:4’ and ‘Leviticus 9:24’, Avantia Damberg (also on Facebook) dispels all doubt about this. Damberg, who lives in Curacao, gains her inspiration from texts from the Bible and calls herself a ‘Christian artist’. Her work was recently featured, along with that of others such as Remy Jungerman, Hamid El Kanbouhi and Ida van der Lee in the exhibition Bezield at CBK Zuidoost (also on Facebook), Amsterdam in the Nederlands, until June 28th, 2014. With new artworks, each artist shared his or her vision on religion and rituals. The work of Damberg stands out in the sense that her religious engagement is almost tangible. In an interview with her she elaborates on her purpose, sources of inspiration and her driving force.
Avantia Damberg, 2014 / PHOTO Courtesy Avantia Damberg, 2014
Avantia Damberg, 2014 / PHOTO Courtesy Avantia Damberg, 2014
Avantia Damberg, 2014 / PHOTO Courtesy Avantia Damberg, 2014
Anchor
“My religion is an important anchor in my life’’, said Damberg. “From a young age, bible stories came to life for me.’’ In this regard Damberg makes a clear distinction between the Gospel on the one side and the Roman Catholic Church on the other side, the latter of which she rejects because for that church it has been all about earthly enrichment. The Gospel is the center of her life and therefore also the center of her art.
![Avantia Damberg, 'De Trap' [The Stairs], 2014 / PHOTO Courtesy Avantia Damberg, 2014](https://srananart.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/avantia-damberg-de-trap.jpg)
Avantia Damberg, ‘De Trap’ [The Stairs], 2014 / PHOTO Courtesy Avantia Damberg, 2014
Avantia Damberg, 2014 / PHOTO Courtesy Avantia Damberg, 2014
Avantia Damberg, 2014 / PHOTO Courtesy Avantia Damberg, 2014
Avantia Damberg, 2014 / PHOTO Courtesy Avantia Damberg, 2014
Avantia Damberg, 2014 / PHOTO Courtesy Avantia Damberg, 2014
Avantia Damberg, 2014 / PHOTO Courtesy Avantia Damberg, 2014
Avantia Damberg, 2014 / PHOTO Courtesy Avantia Damberg, 2014
Visually appealing
The same is true for her installation ‘De Trap’ (the stairs), a series of eleven mixed media collages, framed in black. The images are powerful, visually appealing and constructed from among other things, graphical material, graph paper, wrapping paper and written or printed texts. The style and the use of color can be traced back roughly to the proper fifties; a time when everything was much simpler than now and when everyone would still faithfully go to church. The work can be labeled as ‘cheerful’ and exudes a certain degree of craftsmanship. What is striking in ‘De Trap’ is that there is a cloud in several collages. The diamond shape is also a recurrent image. Damberg explains that the cloud represents a Godly presence and that the diamond shapes symbolize the rewards for virtues such as kindness and mercy. With this in mind, various other bible stories can be recognized, such as the miraculous multiplication of the fish and the bread (Matthew 14:18/21) and the birds we should take an example from because they don’t worry about tomorrow, but blindly trust in the care of the Heavenly father (Matthew 6:25/34). An important detail, is that the installation of the collages form the steps of a staircase, which literally and figuratively allows visitors to reach higher up. That is indeed what Damberg aims at: “the highest achievement for me, is that I can touch people through my art.’’
‘Visual evangelist’
Damberg has no problem whatsoever with being referred to as a ‘visual evangelist’. Just like in the early Christian art period, in which artists enriched the inside and the outside of churches with art that celebrated all aspects of Christianity, Damberg can dedicate her artistry to ‘the message’. She also makes non-religious art on themes such as slavery, but she is also inspired by religious artists such as the American artist Andrew Breitenberg. The symbiosis between art and religion is not a common one. At the prestigious Rietveld academy, Damberg had to thus pay a high price for this. It was not made easy for her to incorporate her much loved Gospel into her art. This resulted in such an inner struggle, that after only a half year Damberg exchanged her spot at the ‘Fine Arts’ department for one at the ‘Audiovisual’ department. Here she was free to pursue the subjects close to her heart and wasn’t pushed into the corner of ‘Curacao = Happy Colors and beautiful (naked) women’.
Subtle balance
Damberg seems to have found the subtle balance between religion and art. Her work with graphical layering, also hits home without any knowledge of the bible. Still, Damberg can’t resist to put down hand-outs with mini posters or explanatory bible texts at her exhibition, so that visitors can take the time to go through them at home. By doing so Damberg proves to be a true evangelist.
Avantia Damberg, 2014 / PHOTO Courtesy Avantia Damberg, 2014
Avantia Damberg, 2014 / PHOTO Courtesy Avantia Damberg, 2014
Avantia Damberg, 2014 / PHOTO Courtesy Avantia Damberg, 2014
Avantia Damberg, 2014 / PHOTO Courtesy Avantia Damberg, 2014
Avantia Damberg, 2014 / PHOTO Courtesy Avantia Damberg, 2014
Avantia Damberg, 2014 / PHOTO Courtesy Avantia Damberg, 2014
TEXT Bart Krieger, Amsterdam, May 2014
TRANSLATION Cassandra Gummels-Relyveld
This article has previously appeared in Dutch, in the Wednesday July 30th, 2014 edition of the daily Surinamese newspaper De Ware Tijd.
Bart Krieger (1970), once a modern jazz dancer, writes about art and culture for among other things, the digital magazine SAX and newsmagazine Parbode. After his education in art history at the ‘Vrije Universiteit’, he started as a journalist for Het Parool (art- and city editor). Since then he has written much about art and culture policies. For the past six years he was employed as a policy officer at the art councils of Rotterdam and Amsterdam.
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In a previous Sranan Art Xposed blog post Avantia Damberg (also on Facebook) was also mentioned with this work, ‘Map of Curacao’, mixed media installation, 2014, part of the exhibition Exploring the Past to Envisage the Future:
Avantia Damberg / PHOTO Courtesy artist
Information about ‘Map of Curacao’
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Video art by Avantia Damberg (also on Facebook):
For an exhibition in Amsterdam called Inspired or in Dutch Bezield a special animation was made about the thoughts and hopes Christian believers have about the theme after death. These friends of the artist live in each continent of the world. They took a picture of their favorite space where they pray and also recorded their voice with their mobile phone or laptop.
Explanation about ‘After Life’
Is your life in balance?
Inspired by Frank Martinus Arion’s famous novel ‘Dubbelspel’ (1973). Commissioned by Cindy Kerseborn and Stichting Cimaké Foundation. Avantia Damberg’s animation was part of the exhibition ‘Dubbelspel’ at CBK Amsterdam, within the framework of the project ‘Hommage aan Frank Martinus Arion’ (2013). More information here.
