Program July 2022

TABOO III

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Exhibition

TABOO III
Group Exhibition challenging  us

 

 

Opening Saturday July 23

 

In the past few years, we have experienced a lot of new things happening worldwide. Things we took for granted in our way of life were challenged in many ways. These changes, or shifts, sometimes released long established taboos from being taboo and introduced new taboos where there were none before.

The Covid pandemic alone put many of us at a distance from each other through new personal, moral, hygiene and privacy values in dealing with the (side)effects of this worldwide virus. We have seen the rise of an unprecedented cancellation culture, the introduction of #me too for abuse, the start of the Black Lives Matter movement, massive migrations all over the world, the growing use and abuse of social media platforms, the loss of power in the traditional mainstream media, the polarization in societies and politics and so on. All this happened in just a few years. Who can say what triggered what? Fact is, it’s all happening right now. A lot has changed and probably the end is not nearly in sight.

Taboo III
Intrigued by all the above, Landhuis Bloemhof wanted to publicly reflect on the impact hereof. An open call was sent out to our local artist community and over 30 of them took up the challenge to give us their views on the taboos of 2022.
We are extremely happy that for TABOO lll the following artists submitted their  contribution, be it a painting, a poem, a collage, a photograph, a sculpture...
Proud participants are: Alejandra Cijntje, Anna Lies Bruens, Bea Moedt, Bethyamin van Nieuwenhuizen, Carlos Blaaker, Debby Dunand, Elodie Heloise, Estela de Haseth, Esther Reyerse, Gerlof Bouma, Giovanni Abath, Hans Mader, Kati Qui, Margarita Haakmat, Merly Trappenberg, Mirelva Albertus, Mishenu Cicilia, Mishikeiru (Kenneth Engelhardt), Morgaine Parris, Nayka Capriles, Nifa Ansano, Osleida Bishop, Pito Polo, Ria Houwen, Rochelle Monte, Rose Ann Ignacio, Susan Rudolf, Suzet Rosaria, Sylvia Waterloo, Tittel del Mar and Vesuhely Americaan.

Past TABOO exhibition history
In 2012 we organized the very first TABOO exhibition, Duncan Campbell, then manager at Landhuis Bloemhof, came up with this out of the box idea that led to an exciting and challenging group exhibition.

For TABOO II, which followed in 2015 Duncan felt the time was right to 'do it again', and he curated the second edition. He asked the artists to look at taboos close to home and see if they could put them in a positive light. His approach was ‘What can a taboo do for you?’ Taboos can paralyze people, but they can also be an excellent vehicle for change, voluntarily or otherwise.

That was 2012 and 2015. Just sit still a minute and think about it, where we are now compared to then? For TABOO III, curated by Rainy Marchena, we invited the artists to share and show what they see as the new taboos anno 2022.

 TABOO III events
During the exhibition, Landhuis Bloemhof will organize several events and other activities. We will keep you posted.

 

Hòfi Cinema June 2022

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Event

 

Hòfi Cinema

Hòfi Cinema

Thursday July 7 | 7.30 PM

Two movies about Caribbean Manhood, Art and Life!

Frank Martinaus Arion:
Arion's most read novel Dubbelspel is about a frantic dominoes match and a picture gradually emerges of the relationship between men and women in that island society. In the documentary, the Antillean machismo is the theme of a fierce and revealing discussion between seven Antillean men from diverse backgrounds. Contrary to that Arion in the film talks about the 'brave women' of the island, who also made the difference in his life and in his work.

Arion was above all a poet. Several examples of this can be heard and read in the documentary. Many of his poems are in Papiamentu. as a champion of this Antillean language, Arion founded a school on the island in which the children are taught in this language.

Frank Martinus Arion was born in Curaçao in 1936. He studied Dutch at the University of Leiden and Amsterdam. He obtained his doctorate in 1996 with The Kiss of a Slave, a dissertation on the relationship of Papiamentu with Western African languages and became professor at the University of Netherlands Antilles in 2009. In his novels and his poems, he gives a lively and loving image of Antillean society, but also provides criticism. Also the Netherlands, the former motherland, is not spared. In 2008 he returned his Royal decoration in protest against the 'Recolonization by the Netherlands'.

Directed by: Cindy Kerseborn
Language: Dutch, Papiamento
Subtitles: English

Patron
Malik and his mother Zoraya, immigrants from Curaçao who have moved to the Netherlands in search of a better life, live in a close-quarters social housing apartment and often butt heads. Malik sees Zoraya as only caring about herself, while Zoraya maintains Malik does not respect her. Their unwillingness to communicate or compromise pushes the two apart. Malik falls in with a group of neighbourhood boys, who explore abandoned buildings and bond over an oppressive societal system designed to hold them back. One night during a game of soccer, however, Malik provokes one of the other boys and ends up in a fight. Ostracised, Malik decides to move on from the neighbourhood. He meets a girl Aria and falls in love, able to express his feels and deeply connect with another person for the first time. Soon, though, Aria learns she’s expecting a child. Malik, blindsided and unsure of what to do, decides to return home to Zoraya for advice. Zoraya refuses to sympathise with Malik, explaining to him the cold hard reality of life, and leaving him on his own. Malik realises that no matter his circumstances, he is the only one that has control over his future. Malik steps up, confronting his problems with himself and the neighbourhood boys. Malik returns to Aria and transitions into his new life as a father, vowing to be a positive role model for his newborn child.

Produced by: Recent & Vice
Director: Mario Gonsalves
Producer: Jeroen Scheper
Director of Photography: Rui Jiang Ong
Editor: Mario Gonsalves
Year: 2019 | Subtitle: English

Tafelberg riba Mesa

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Exhibition

Tafelberg riba Mesa
Paintings & photographs of the Tafelberg

 

 

Opening Saturday June 11

 

Tafelberg riba Mesa showcases a great number of renderings of the Tafelberg through the years. There are paintings and photographs dating as far back as the first half of the 20th century and works of art specifically created for this project. That there is something special about the Tafelberg became very obvious seeing the abundance of reactions we received in the past few weeks. The Tafelberg has been captured by various people, from different angles, at different times of the day and during many years. The exhibition Tafelberg riba Mesa also clearly shows how the Tafelberg has changed and transformed over the years. This part of its history will be very much present in this exhibition.

Community Art Project
A couple of weeks ago we started the search for works of art in which the Tafelberg is portrayed. In a very short period of time, we received many mails, calls and guests spontaneously stopping by telling us about their paintings and photographs. Local and international Tafelberg fanatics reached out to us with stories and tales about their beloved Tafelberg portrayal. Some received it as a gift, others ordered it on commission or inherited it and a few people painted or photographed it themselves. Bloemhof collected all these personal stories and made them part of the exhibition. And as to be expected with this much Tafelberg fondness most works are on loan and only a few will be up for sale.

To extend this exhibition into a dynamic Tafelberg experience, we are collaborating with the Mijnmaatschappij, Rock Climbing Curaçao, Curaçao Yacht Club, Kinderoorden Brakkeput and Urban Sketchers, who are all very enthousiastic to take this community art project to another level. Together we will be organizing various activities such as a lecture, hikes, a bus tour, plein air painting and a photo competition. The schedule will soon be available