After saving the date, you are cordially invited to the Opening of the NEW Exhibition
with the following 19 artists:
Giovanni Abath, Papy Adriana, Vesuhely Americaan, Lara Bonomo, Alejandra Cijntje, Avantia Damberg, Kerr (Sé) de Lanooi, Gino Martina, Ashley Mauricia, Ans Mezas Hummelink, Erica Obersi, Morgaine Parris, Hector Ceferino Raphaela, Suzet Rosaria, Brett Russel, Shartella Santiago, Omar Sling, Andrew Thodé and Merly Trappenberg.
Thursday, October 2, 2025
From 19:00 to 21:00
The Curaçao Museum
“Awe mi ta Pidi Diskulpa”
The starting point of this project is the apologies for their role in the history of slavery, expressed by Prime Minister Rutte in December 2022 with the words “Awe mi ta Pidi Diskulpa” and reaffirmed by King Willem-Alexander in 2023. These apologies marked a turning point. For the first time, something long denied or silenced was openly acknowledged. Yet apologies alone are not enough. True recognition requires dialogue, reflection, and imagination. Only then can we move towards acceptance and a new way of relating to one another.
Change and Imagination
Artists are often at the forefront of envisioning change. They imagine what does not yet exist. For this reason, Curaçao Art invited them to create their vision of Curaçao in the year 2035. Each artist created two works: one in their own style and medium, and another designed specifically for people with visual impairments.
A Process of Reflection
Over the past year the artists took part in a program that deepened their understanding of the history of slavery. At the request of Curaçao Art, NAAM (National Archeological Anthropological Memory Management) developed a course based on the report Chains of the Past. During this course the artists studied topics such as slavery on Curaçao, the image of slavery, the emancipation of 1863, the post-emancipation period, the transformation of society in the twentieth century, its legacy in the present, and ways of healing.
They also participated in several activities, including a Dinner in the Dark at Probista and a lecture by Mr. Bob Harms on the legacies of slavery. The Dinner in the Dark offered the artists a chance to step into the sensory world of people with visual impairments. What does it mean to perform daily actions when you must rely only on hearing, taste, touch, and smell? How do you finish your meal neatly if you cannot see your plate?
New Work
After this period of study and reflection, the artists returned to their studios to create new works. This journey now culminates in the exhibition Despensa i Pordon, Apologies and Forgiveness.
The visual arts exhibition Despensa i Pordon is organized by Curaçao Art with the collaboration and support of The Curaçao Museum and curated by art historian Josée Thissen-Rojer together with art advisor Sinuhe Oomen.
About Curaçao Art
Curaçao Art was founded in 2011 with the aim of bringing audiences, art, and artists closer together. Since 2013 the website curacao-art.com has reported on art exhibitions while regularly expanding the biographies of artists from Curaçao.
Support
Despensa i Pordon is made possible with the support of the Herdenkingscomité Slavernijverleden, the DNB Fund – Caribbean division in cooperation with the CCG, and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations.