Imágen di Pasado – Images of the Past (2019). Exhibition in the National Archives of Curaçao.

On Friday evening November 8, 2019, the exhibition ‘Images of the Past’ was opened by Lusette Verboom-Fairbairn, owner of the art gallery in landhuis Habaai, Gallery Alma Blou. The exhibition was a collaboration between 3 organisations: Kas di Kultura Kòrsou, Instituto Buena Bista (IBB) and the National Archives of Curaçao.

The exhibition was organized as part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the National Archives. The curators of the exhibition were Caspar Martens and Josée Thissen-Rojer.

Eight figurative artists and 8 students from Instituto Buena Bista (preparatory training for the art academy) were asked to depict an important event in Curacao history for this exhibition.

The National Archives made a selection of 8 historical events. Each event is depicted twice in the exhibition. Once by the artist and once by an IBB student. The artists were asked to make a painting and to work figuratively. The students of IBB were given more freedom. Unintentionally, there was also a large age difference between the two groups. Most of IBB’s students were young adults around the age of 18. The artists, with the exception of Avantia Damberg, were all 50+. Richard Doest was the oldest, at 77 years old. The students of IBB made their work at their school, under the guidance of the teachers of the institute.

Participating artists
Carlos Blaaker, Avantia Damberg, Annemieke Dicke, Didi Dometilie, Richard Doest, Ashley Mauricia, Andre Nagtegaal, and Philip Rademaker.

Students of IBB
Germain Cathalina, Mahanaïm Espinosa Garcia, Aïsha Granviel, Guenn Ramon Gustina, Nicole Naranjo Silva, Ragnar Prinsen, and Julius Rademaker.

The exhibition was on display until February 2020.