Silent Auction of ‘De Leusden’

In the continuation of our 'Sorry' exhibition, we shine a spotlight on a remarkable metal artwork in our current exhibition Lanta! titled 'De Leusden.' This piece, a prominent feature of Roberto Tjon A Meeuw’s exhibition at Landhuis Bloemhof, is not just a testament to artistry, but also a reminder of a dark chapter in history.

'De Leusden' stands as a majestic metal ship, crafted from iron scraps and draped with Pangi, which is a traditional Suriname cloth, proudly commanding the exhibition hall. 'De Leusden' was once a vessel of the West Indian Company (WIC), tasked with the harrowing journey of transporting African slaves to the sugar fields of Suriname. On New Year's Day in 1738, tragedy struck as the ship struck a sandbank and capsized near the river mouth of the Marowijne River. What makes this story all the more heart-wrenching is the crew's response. Fearing a rebellion by the 650 enslaved souls on board, they sealed all possible exits, condemning those innocent lives to a watery grave. The crew survived, leaving a haunting legacy of injustice.

Now, 'De Leusden' is poised to be a catalyst for positive change. This piece will be available for auction, and all proceeds will go toward a cause close to Roberto Tjon A Meeuw's heart—teaching underprivileged children how to surf. By bidding on 'De Leusden,' you will not only acquire an art piece that honors history but you will also contribute to the future through the empowerment of the youth of Curaçao.

The auction of ‘De Leudsen’ will be conducted as a silent auction throughout the duration of the exhibition with an opening bid of Nafl 2.000,-. The grand finale will be the live auction, scheduled for Friday September 29, starting at 7 PM at Landhuis Bloemhof in the presence of auction master Michèle Russel-Capriles. This event will be accompanied by a festive closing, featuring musical beats by Roberto Tjon A Meeuw and Mathijs Rijne, renowned in the Netherlands for their unique fusion of local traditional music with a modern twist. Entrance to this event is free.

How does the silent auction work?

You fill out a form at Landhuis Bloemhof with your bid and toss it in the designated collection box you can find on the piano in the exhibition hall. Every Saturday we will update the silent auction to the highest amount bidden so far. You can also send us an e-mail via expo@bloemhof.cw so we can mail you the form for you to fill in and send back to us. This silent auction is anonymous till the grand finale where the starting bid will the amount raised up to September 29 at 2 pm.

We invite you to be a part of this journey—where art meets history, compassion meets action, and the legacy of 'De Leusden' continues to evolve in the realization of Roberto’s dream for our kids.