Echoes of In*dependence: the Untold Acts of Liberation, Extraction & Solidarity
Cabo Verde and Suriname celebrated fifty years of independence last year. Congo celebrated sixty-five years of independence. Ghana played a pivotal role in the independence movements. The exhibition Echoes of In*dependence examines what independence truly means. Because for many former colonies, the reality remains: the flag changed, but the colonial structures stayed in place. Foreign companies often still profit from the natural resources of these countries, and economic inequality persists.
The exhibition shows how liberation movements in Africa, the Caribbean, and Suriname were connected to one another. We honor women who played a role in this struggle but remained underrecognized for too long, including Andrée Blouin (Congo), Johanna Schouten-Elsenhout (Suriname), Hannah Kudjoe (Ghana), Josefina Chantre (Cabo Verde), and others. The echoes of this struggle continue to resonate in contemporary movements for justice, underscoring the necessity of international solidarity today.
Artists from the African diaspora, Suriname, and the Netherlands have been invited to create new work in dialogue with one another and with The Black Archives. Invited artists Moreiya, Munganyende, Maurice Dharampal, Nana Agyemang, Zulile Blinker, Ruth-Rachel Blinker, and Tania Christina bring historical stories into dialogue with the present through their unique works.
Between April and September 2026, we are organizing five public events around the exhibition: lectures, curator talks, and debates. Schools and educational institutions from primary school to university are warmly welcome for one of the forty planned guided tours.
When? 23 April through 31 October
Days? Wednesday through Saturday
Opening hours? 11:00 to 17:00
Where? Zeeburgerdijk 21, Amsterdam Oost
Admission? €17,50
The exhibition shows how liberation movements in Africa, the Caribbean, and Suriname were connected to one another. We honor women who played a role in this struggle but remained underrecognized for too long, including Andrée Blouin (Congo), Johanna Schouten-Elsenhout (Suriname), Hannah Kudjoe (Ghana), Josefina Chantre (Cabo Verde), and others. The echoes of this struggle continue to resonate in contemporary movements for justice, underscoring the necessity of international solidarity today.
Artists from the African diaspora, Suriname, and the Netherlands have been invited to create new work in dialogue with one another and with The Black Archives. Invited artists Moreiya, Munganyende, Maurice Dharampal, Nana Agyemang, Zulile Blinker, Ruth-Rachel Blinker, and Tania Christina bring historical stories into dialogue with the present through their unique works.
Between April and September 2026, we are organizing five public events around the exhibition: lectures, curator talks, and debates. Schools and educational institutions from primary school to university are warmly welcome for one of the forty planned guided tours.
When? 23 April through 31 October
Days? Wednesday through Saturday
Opening hours? 11:00 to 17:00
Where? Zeeburgerdijk 21, Amsterdam Oost
Admission? €17,50