Grant from Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds for Curaçao Art

Curaçao Art has received a grant from the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds Caribisch Gebied for the translation of 21 texts for the blog of the website curacao-art.com.

The blog texts were written in 2020 and 2021, by art historian Josée Thissen-Rojer.

All texts were written in Dutch or Papiamentu, and have already appeared in the newspapers Extra or Amigoe. To place them on the website of Curaçao Art, they first have to be translated into English. The subsidy of the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds will be used for this purpose. 

The stories give a picture of the local art scene during the pandemic. The effects of all measures were felt by artists, galleries, and the public and this has been documented through the interviews. Once the blogs are on the site they can be consulted by anyone. The use of the texts is permitted, with mention of the source curacao-art.com and the author. 

The texts follow the different aspects of the local art world. For instance, at the end of 2020, the artists call for attention with an auction: Aid 4 Art. The lockdown of 2020 affects them deeply and they turn to the internet in an attempt to reach buyers through an online auction. The first blog is about this endeavor.

In addition, there are interviews with exhibiting artists, as the doors of galleries slowly open again in 2021, such as Omar Sling, Suzet Rosaria, and Angel Luis de la Rosa.

A number of the texts are part of the series “Artistry during the Pandemic” and previously appeared in Amigoe. For this series, artists were interviewed about the effects of the pandemic on their lives and work. The first interviews took place in December 2020, with Yubi Kirindongo and Jean Girigori. 

Another eight artists were contacted for this series in 2021. Josée Thissen-Rojer interviewed Herman van Bergen, amongst others: A month after the inauguration of his life’s work ‘The Cathedral of Thorns’, the lockdown was declared and in no time everything fell apart. Other artists that are also featured in this series are: Francis Sling, Papy Adriana, Philippe Zanolino, Ashley Mauricia, Ailsa Anastatia, Bethyamin van Nieuwenhuizen and Omar Sling.

Another section is about our artists abroad. For example, Tirzo Martha’s career was still strong, despite the global pandemic. In ARTZUID 2021 in Amsterdam, no less than 4 Curaçao artists were represented. A portrait of artist Felix de Rooy, by photographer Diana Blok, was featured in the exhibition on Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera in the Cobra Museum in Amstelveen.

Fortunately, there was more good news to dwell upon. During the first lockdown in 2020, artist Philippe Zanolino meets his new wife. In 2021 there is a private visit of Princess Beatrix to two local art projects: the Cathedral of Thorns and Sculpture Garden Blue Bay. And in 2021 there is also the celebration of the 25th anniversary of Gallery Alma Blou. Josée Thissen-Rojer has a nice conversation about this with gallery owner Lusette Verboom-Fairbairn. 

The foundation Curaçao Art is pleased with the financial support of the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds Caribisch Gebied. Through social media, it will be indicated when the texts are on the site.

For more information about the visual arts and artists in Curacao: curacao-art.com 
Curaçao Art is sponsored by: Profound, Maduro & Curiel’s Bank N.V., EM Group, Ejpeg design, ENNIA, and Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds Caribisch Gebied.