by Josée Thissen-Rojer

The photo of a radiant Tirzo Martha proudly holding his fist out in front of him, with the prestigious “Wilhelmina ring” on his ring finger, speaks volumes. This photo is used over and over again and is a beautiful image, captured by photographer Janneke Veldman. Tirzo Martha (Curaçao, 1965) has every reason to be proud, because the Wilhelminaring prize, which he received in Apeldoorn on September 6, 2020, is truly a very special recognition.

The Wilhelmina ring is a symbol of appreciation for the sculptural arts which includes Tirzo with his striking works of art. The term “sculptural arts” is not only used for sculptures, plastics or assemblages. In addition to three-dimensional work like the ones created by Tirzo, visual arts also include landscape art and environmental sculptures. An example of landscape art is the project by Jan Henderikse in 1977 on the plain of San Pedro. An example of environmental sculpture is the installation of Ashley Mauricia in an arch at Plasa Piar, “Within me” (Atelier Route 2015).

The prize also includes a solo exhibition in the CODA Museum and an assignment for a work of art for the Sprengenpark in Apeldoorn. This relatively new prize was first awarded in 1998. It is a biennial prize and Tirzo is only the 11th visual artist to receive this recognition. When the winner was announced, it was mentioned that the jury was passionate about its choice and its decision was unanimous.

Lots of praise from the jury about the works of art from our acclaimed fellow islander: overwhelming use of color, stylistic individuality, artistic individuality and universal expressiveness. But above all, he is praised because his work shows political and social involvement, and he is not only critical but also actually committed to society in both Curaçao and the Netherlands.

The ring for Tirzo is a design by jewelry artist Ted Noten (Netherlands, 1956). It’s a unique item because for each award a designer is invited to make a “ring”. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a wearable ring and may not even be ring-shaped. It’s the trophy that goes with the recognition and is redesigned every time. A special feature of this design is that it contains a portrait of the person after whom the prize is named: Queen Wilhelmina (1880-1962).

The ring is composed of two parts. The lower part is formed by a car tire with a heavy profile. You can even distinguish the well-known “Goodyear” logo on the front. On top of the ring is a pedestal with Queen Wilhelmina’s portrait on it. It is daring and playful and at the same time a reference to Tirzo’s oeuvre; to his imagery and to the car tire that frequently plays a role in it.
The beautiful golden color may be a nod to the external splendor that Tirzo wants to expose with his work.

In 2004, at the invitation of Landhuis Bloemhof, Tirzo made an installation for the exhibition “Kere den Arte” (Belief in Art), entitled “The Revelation”. This exhibition contained several works of art, inspired by 4 world religions: Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. All the works were on loan and Tirzo was invited to make a special work of art in which everything was brought together.

Tirzo then created something similar to a display case, in which various attributes were included that had to do with cleansing rituals, something that is central in all religions. But perhaps most important was the shaving mirror with a careless yellow sticky note with only the word “god” on it. As if he wanted to point out that in daily life religion is increasingly fading into the background and has become something that we have to remind ourselves of, by means of a note.

A criticizing attitude, with which he confronted everyone: visitors, participants, and creators. “The revelation” was a type of roadmap with a call for introspection. He left the revelation to the beholder, but his message was loud and clear.

Art is the carrier of a message, of our thoughts and emotions. This is no different with Tirzo. His unwavering critical attitude, his unusual use of materials, and his progressive visual language are quite different. He works with objects and does not necessarily like to use color. Most of the materials and objects he uses are store-bought and unused. But especially the toilet bowls he uses in his work are not always brand new from the store. And knowing Tirzo, this is no accident.

The Wilhelmina ring recognition also includes a solo exhibition in the CODA Museum in Apeldoorn. The remarkable title of the exhibition is “The house that is never finished” and consists of 7 enormous installations. In the large hall of the CODA Cultuurhuis, they seem to challenge the space, and visitors can walk all the way around it. The installations really have to be seen and experienced from all sides.

Visitors to the exhibition will also receive a handout, written by art historian Dr. Adi Martis (Aruba, 1944), where he mentions in the introduction that the interpretation of Tirzo’s work is “a hazardous undertaking”, but he sees the visual language as “universal” and says the artwork’s message isn’t condescending. He describes his texts in the handout as “personal reflections on the artist’s work”. His words are indeed intimate reflections but add something extra. By looking at the artwork together with Adi Martis, it sometimes takes on a different meaning.

The 7 works sometimes have beautiful poetic titles, such as “The thin line between a dream and foolishness” and “Still life of Curaçao landscape with donkey and antenna” or “The reasoning of the remains”. At first glance, the work seems to contrast with the beautiful titles. Tirzo works with concrete blocks, wood and concrete mats, as well as carpets, chairs and buckets. The work
is overwhelming, both because of the dimensions and the use of materials. After all, he uses all kinds of objects and materials used in home construction to shape his work.

The first work “A thin line between a dream and foolishness” is formed by the bed of a pickup truck, encased in a wall built of concrete blocks that have broken beer bottles on the top, with the sharp side facing up. On the center of the wall is a type of cupid statue with a can of ketchup on his head. The statue is initially hidden behind the saucer, and glass shards have been stabbed into the statue’s pouring seams. On one side of the wall, Tirzo has attached a satellite dish and an antenna mast, along with a few more objects such as an iron porch chair with a bucket and a car tire. On the other side of the wall, there is a wicker bench on top of the truck bed, there are more masts, antennas, and other objects. We see, among other things, the car tire, a mailbox, and a daylight lamp.

The whole spectacle is supported by a charming red living room carpet. By looking at this piece, it’s immediately clear what Adi Martis means when he indicates that the work is difficult to interpret. In his reflection, Adi plays with portraying a hit-and-run but also recognizes the presence of symbols for communication and transport. It’s probably the title that should provide the definitive answer, he thinks, because “how on earth do we recognize the thin lines between dream, reality, and foolishness”.

Is it a dream, reality, or foolishness that there are houses on Curaçao that are never finished? Or maybe it just appears that they are never finished, and construction is just slow? This construction takes years, sometimes a lifetime, and sometimes generations. But why does the phenomenon actually exist and how did it originate? Is it culture, custom, or failing government policies?

At the center of the room is the largest work, entitled “The withdrawal from the dream”. A cable runs on either side from pallets with concrete blocks and other building materials to two wooden crates. The crates balance dangerously on one side. The cables prevent them from falling. Tirzo shows that it is possible to work with objects, and yet create tension and beauty and a certain rhythm. The title, the withdrawal from a dream, refers to the tension between dream, execution, and realization. This tension is depicted by the tightly stretched cables. The building materials keep the dream, the empty crates, upright and in balance.

A beautiful work is “The reasoning of the remains” in which black grout tubs, car tires, and buckets seem to float in space, like a type of wave. But they don’t actually float, they are attached to metal bars with a heavy concrete base. Tirzo is playing with gravity, but also with the visitor. They are strange objects to use and yet he creates a poetic image with them.

The exhibition confirms the jury’s choice and words: interesting shapes, quirkiness, artistic individuality, and universal strength. When you walk among his work you experience the ingenuity of Tirzo’s design language. It’s the sensation that he triggers, in an incredibly subtle way, but using such rough, raw materials. Therein lies his strength, individuality, and greatness.

Tirzo Martha is now working on the final part of the prize, the production of a statue for the Sprenger Park. The exhibition can be viewed until December 6, 2020.

This article was previously published in Amigoe (Wednesday, November 18, 2020).

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