Visit the exhibition ‘Facing Blackness: Visual Representations of Black People and Their History of Resistance’. 2021 marked the 10-year anniversary of the “Zwarte Piet Is Racisme” campaign that launched a broad social movement and put the fight against institutional and anti-black racism on the social and political agenda. However, there has been a long suppressed history of colonial imagery of Black people and resistance against it in the Netherlands.
Facing Blackness
Facing Blackness is a multimedia exhibition that takes the public through the underexposed history of Dutch visual representations of Black people from the colonial period to contemporary society. Using unique archival material from the heritage collection of The Black Archives (TBA), other institutions, private collections and visual arts, The Black Archives shows how colonial portrayals of Black people became part of the Dutch 'cultural archive' and our everyday ideas and traditions. On the other hand, the exhibition shows how there has always been resistance to different forms of racism and how Black people themselves have given and continue to give meaning to their culture and identity.
Artists Gloria Holwerda, Jaasir Linger, Lydienne Albertoe and Sherida Kuffour spent several months researching and creatively reflecting on the theme of the exhibition. Albertoe, for example, has researched the visual representations of Black people in comic books and converted the research into an installation. Her research was supported by Het Zuidelijk Toneel (HZT) which has several projects highlighting the African diaspora and related themes this year.
The Black Archives spent a year conducting oral history and archival research in various public and private collections by researchers Isabelle Britto, Alexine Gabriela and Mitchell Esajas. More stories and objects will be collected during the exhibition. The exhibition concept was developed by Jessica de Abreu, Raul Balai and Mitchell Esajas. The campaign was designed by Serana Angelista.
Facing Blackness
Facing Blackness is a multimedia exhibition that takes the public through the underexposed history of Dutch visual representations of Black people from the colonial period to contemporary society. Using unique archival material from the heritage collection of The Black Archives (TBA), other institutions, private collections and visual arts, The Black Archives shows how colonial portrayals of Black people became part of the Dutch 'cultural archive' and our everyday ideas and traditions. On the other hand, the exhibition shows how there has always been resistance to different forms of racism and how Black people themselves have given and continue to give meaning to their culture and identity.
Artists Gloria Holwerda, Jaasir Linger, Lydienne Albertoe and Sherida Kuffour spent several months researching and creatively reflecting on the theme of the exhibition. Albertoe, for example, has researched the visual representations of Black people in comic books and converted the research into an installation. Her research was supported by Het Zuidelijk Toneel (HZT) which has several projects highlighting the African diaspora and related themes this year.
The Black Archives spent a year conducting oral history and archival research in various public and private collections by researchers Isabelle Britto, Alexine Gabriela and Mitchell Esajas. More stories and objects will be collected during the exhibition. The exhibition concept was developed by Jessica de Abreu, Raul Balai and Mitchell Esajas. The campaign was designed by Serana Angelista.
Donate a book, object or visual image
Visitors are invited to donate (children's) books and objects that contain stereotypical images. Stories and visual images about resistance against this visual imagery are also welcome. These will be added to the exhibition and collection of The Black Archives to keep the archive, but also the exhibition "alive".
From April 2 to December 23, 2022, the exhibition ‘’Facing Blackness: Visual Representations of Black People and a History of Resistance'' can be viewed at The Black Archives on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. On request, group tours can be organized for schools, organizations and groups of visitors.
From one exhibition to two
The exhibition is located on the ground floor of the Hugo Olijfveldhuis, the building of Vereniging Ons Suriname (VOS). With this, The Black Archives is expanding from one to two current exhibitions and is taking the next step towards becoming an established cultural and knowledge institute in the Netherlands. VOS aims to open the Suriname Museum in 2023 in this building. The entrance to the new space is at Zeeburgerdijk 21. The exhibition 'Surinamese People in the Netherlands: 100 years of Emancipation and Struggle' can be visited on the first floor of the building.
When? April 2 to December 23, 2022
Where? The Black Archives / Vereniging Ons Suriname, Zeeburgerdijk 21 (Amsterdam-East)
Opening hours? Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Entrance?
- Ticket exhibition: €10 (Combi ticket with exhibition 100 years VOS €15)
- Student / Teen (11 - 18 years) / Senior (65+): €7.50
- Child (0-10 years): FREE
Visitors are invited to donate (children's) books and objects that contain stereotypical images. Stories and visual images about resistance against this visual imagery are also welcome. These will be added to the exhibition and collection of The Black Archives to keep the archive, but also the exhibition "alive".
From April 2 to December 23, 2022, the exhibition ‘’Facing Blackness: Visual Representations of Black People and a History of Resistance'' can be viewed at The Black Archives on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. On request, group tours can be organized for schools, organizations and groups of visitors.
From one exhibition to two
The exhibition is located on the ground floor of the Hugo Olijfveldhuis, the building of Vereniging Ons Suriname (VOS). With this, The Black Archives is expanding from one to two current exhibitions and is taking the next step towards becoming an established cultural and knowledge institute in the Netherlands. VOS aims to open the Suriname Museum in 2023 in this building. The entrance to the new space is at Zeeburgerdijk 21. The exhibition 'Surinamese People in the Netherlands: 100 years of Emancipation and Struggle' can be visited on the first floor of the building.
When? April 2 to December 23, 2022
Where? The Black Archives / Vereniging Ons Suriname, Zeeburgerdijk 21 (Amsterdam-East)
Opening hours? Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Entrance?
- Ticket exhibition: €10 (Combi ticket with exhibition 100 years VOS €15)
- Student / Teen (11 - 18 years) / Senior (65+): €7.50
- Child (0-10 years): FREE
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