Since 2019, PARK has been facilitating artists in its summer residencies who reference the impact of the diaspora in their works, reflecting on Dutch colonial heritage.
In 2023, Tilburg's Wilhelminapark is 125 years old. On one of the corners of Wilhelminapark, in the immediate vicinity of PARK, stands the statue of Peerke Donders unveiled in 1926. In light of awareness about the history of slavery and Dutch colonialism, this statue is viewed at from a different angle. Peerke Donders (1809-1887) was a Tilburg Catholic missionary who worked as a chaplain in Paramaribo and later on the leper colony of Batavia. He is known as an apostle of the indigenous people and lepers and was sanctified in 1982. Artists were invited through an open call to submit a plan to analyze and contextualize the image of Peerke Donders.
After the open call, Razia Barsatie has been selected as summer guest 2023 at PARK. The fact of pilgrimage greatly appeals to PARK.
Razia Barsatie (b. 1982, Paramaribo, Suriname) graduated from the Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam in 2012, in 2016 she received the Thami Mnyele Foundation Award and in 2022 she completed the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam. She uses drawings, video work, images of fragile and translucent tapioca flour, and strongly scented spices like curry and turmeric to create a world of feelings. It is her careful way of making subjects discussable that to this day are considered taboo within a strict Hindu-Surinamese upbringing.
"Believers and also non-believers participate in the Batavia pilgrimage in Suriname every last Saturday of the month to pay respect to the Blessed Petrus Donders and take the opportunity to reflect on life and on GOD. In this art project, I question Peerke Donders' role as a colonial missionary and the pilgrimage to his statue in Suriname. The project explores how Dutch colonial history is manifested in the pilgrimage to Peerke Donders and how this pilgrimage distinguishes between those who were saved (lepers) and those who were colonized (the African and indigenous people of Suriname).
In the open studio, I will present a spatial installation that will consist of objects, paintings and video images, in the form of a pilgrimage. The work can offer the viewer insight and provoke reflection, making us aware of our own biases and the importance of a more inclusive and diverse approach to culture. For this work, I will use both traditional and contemporary techniques."
In this residency, Barsatie also collaborates with students from the Academie voor Beeldende Vorming Tilburg. As part of their module Crosslab, they conduct research and make contributions to the project. For more information, visit the Crosslab page.
OPEN STUDIO
The residency will conclude with an open studio during the final two days, on Saturday, August 19 and Sunday, August 20. You are most welcome to attend.
August 19
14.30 Walk-in in PARK open
14.45 Speech by PARK
15.00 Start of performance 1 / artistic pilgrimage with a walk from PARK to the statue of Petrus Donders in the Wilhelminapark. Dress code: white only (T-shirt, shirt, blouse, dress), varied lower body but no bright colors
16.00 Return to PARK for a chat over snacks, drinks and viewing of the works in the studio
August 20
14.30 Walk-in in PARK open
14.45 Speech by PARK
15.00 Start of performance 2 / artistic pilgrimage with a walk from PARK to the statue of Petrus Donders in the Wilhelminapark, with a major contribution by student Dena Jawhar. Dress code: white only (T-shirt, shirt, blouse, dress), varied lower body but no bright colors
16.00 Return to PARK for a chat over snacks, drinks and viewing of the works in the studio
PS. These are two different performances on the two days.
