Monumentenzorg Curaçao exhibition: Man & Monument 2019
For the celebration of the 65th anniversary of Stichting Monumentenzorg Curaçao in 2019, the foundation organized a visual art exhibition in Villa Maria, at Scharloo Abou. The curator of the exhibition ‘Man & Monument’ was Sinuhe Oomen (1969).
Visual artists were invited by means of an open call. They were requested to study the architectural heritage with fresh eyes, and assess its role in the present and for the future.
The theme about people and monuments had to convey that monumental buildings are not only constructed from building materials. Buildings are a reflection of man in which their vision of culture, religion, way of life, community spirit, individuality, political orientation, trade, and the like are expressed. Not only with regard to the past, but also for the present and into the future.
The historic district of Willemstad was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997. The title ‘Man & Monument’ was also meant as a tribute and an ambition. It is important to consider how to use and develop our built heritage. Apart from that, there needs to be room to contemplate the emotional aspect. The relationship that people have with their built environment. Why not investigate what it is like to live or work in a 300-year-old building or imagine what Willemstad would be like, without a historic city center.
With the exhibition, and the input of the artists, Stichting Monumentenzorg wanted to initiate a dialogue in the community. Awareness about the architectural heritage should increase and be an ongoing public discussion. It is essential that society can form an opinion about the possession and importance of this heritage. It should also be evaluated regularly.
Ultimately, a large group of established and emerging artists answered the call. The result was an exhibition in which different disciplines were represented. Sculpture, painting, photography, mosaic, and prints.
The art exhibition took place in Villa Maria, next to the Maritime Museum, from November 2nd till 10th, 2019. The official opening was November 1, 2019. Monumentenzorg invited the public on Saturday, November 2, 2019, for a ‘Meet the Artist’, to start a conversation about monuments, preservation and the arts.
Participants
Ailsa Anastatia, Isabel Bérénos, Carlos Blaaker, Avantia Damberg, Marianne Cats, Annemieke Dicke, Marcel van Duijneveldt, Wilson Garcia, Margarita Haakmat, Monique Harbers, Serena Israel with Serena’s Artists Collective, Hilma Koelman, Rochelle Monte, Morgaine Paris, Pito Polo, Quirine Guato, Suzet Rosaria, Ellen Spijkstra, Don Marco Vinck, and Philippe Zanolino.
This text may only be reproduced with reference to the source: Curaçao Art®️, www.curacao-art.com. Copyright of the artworks remains the property of the artist.
