Textile art by Maria Cijntje
Join The Curaçao Museum for the Opening of their new exhibition.
QRUITICAL
Artistic quilts by Maria Cijntje in commemoration of 161 years of the abolition of slavery.
Date: Saturday, February 24, 2024,
Time: 18.00 to 20.00 hrs.
Maria’s unique textile art offers a critical view of both the past and the present. This exhibition is her way of sharing her ideas, not through words but through images. Maria focuses on textile art, working with discarded materials like old clothes. “All you need is a needle and thread to get started,” she smiles.
The past shapes the present
“Having traveled and lived in different countries and cultures, I realized I could be a different person in each place, as though I could reinvent myself,” says Maria. However, she also felt the weight of her past and heritage, along with the benefits they brought. As a historian and educator, she is always interested in how the past influences and shapes the present.
Challenging topics
Maria is a dedicated teacher and shares some of her experience in her profession. “Teaching the subject of slavery on various educational levels, I learned that one should not avoid challenging topics. Now that I am retired and no longer teaching, I still feel the need to challenge the community in which I live.” Maria elaborates further: “Slavery, in the past and still today, creates discrimination, racism, and exclusion. Wars, in the past and today, produce destruction, violence, and … more wars.”
Maria’s textile art
Sometimes, she plans a piece and makes a rough sketch, but she finds she hardly ever sticks to it. Most of the time, she visualizes what she wants, although she does not always achieve the desired outcome. Therefore, she mostly lets the images come as they present themselves and allows herself to be surprised by the result.
Workshop and exhibition ‘My Hero’
The exhibition MY HERO is a spin-off of the ART QUILT Exhibition QRUITICAL by Maria Cijntje in commemoration of 161 years of the abolition of slavery. In this exhibition, the participants reveal the stories of a personal hero, in a unique form. MY HERO tells the tale of resilience, creativity, and endurance and encourages us to recognize the heroes closer to home.
After participating in the Art Quilt Workshops led by Maria Cijntje at The Curaçao Museum every Saturday in July and in August, these ladies are excited to showcase their ART QUILTS and share their creative journey with you! Come and join the talented women as they narrate the stories behind their heroes: Vesuhely Americaan, Alejandra Cijntje, Yvorona Lane,
Nelly Rosa, and Josée Thissen together with Arindah Thissen.
EXHIBITION MY HERO
Saturday, August 17, 2024,
From 18:00 to 20:00,
at The Curaçao Museum.
View Maria Cijntje’s previous exhibition, ‘Family Secrets’ from 2019, by clicking this link.
© When reproducing the text above, please credit the source: Curaçao Art®️ www.curacao-art.com. The artist retains all image rights of their artworks.
