Ku Dios Ke
Written by: Jennifer Smit, freelance curator and art historian.
On January 22, 2010 the people of Curacao went voting. It was the last time inhabitants of the island could elect the members of parliament of the Netherlands Antilles. On October 10, 2010 the country of the Netherlands Antilles will cease to exist, ‘Ku Dios ke’ (“God willing”) the island of Curacao will get an autonomous status within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. From that moment on we will talk about the country of Curacao or Pais Kòrsou, as it has been propagated with much aplomb.
The local art scene has hardly responded to this upcoming change. The big question is whether it could be called a ‘change’. Will the inhabitants of the island notice anything? Is this so-called ‘change’ just red tape or should nation building be added to the program, and in what way? By hook or by crook, thinking about it and responding to it seems of the utmost importance to me. It may sometimes be difficult for that to happen from within the community itself. Someone outside of this society will always have a different perspective and will look at these developments afresh.
Visual artist Frouwkje Smit came to Curacao in 2009. Just as it did to those who came before her, this tropical island with all its peculiarities fascinated her from the start. But she didn’t leave it at that. She rapidly started a special and fascinating art project with an enthusiastic, dedicated and professional routine. On January 22, 2010 the multimedia project ‘Walking 2gether’ on the Emma Bridge, that connects the two parts of Willemstad Punda and Otrobanda, became reality.
I think this multimedia project will have adds an enormous value to visual art on the island. A work of art should in the first place always have multiple layers, which give a deeper meaning and will give the spectator the ability to have an opinion of his own. ‘Walking 2gether’ is not only about past and present, but also about the future. Will we be able to walk hand in hand in the new Pais Kòrsou, despite the wounds the past has inflicted upon us?
Furthermore the making of this work of art took place in the heart of Willemstad: ‘Site specific’ and on the Emma Bridge between the two parts. The audience was an essential part of the work. The reactions, which were taped on video, show that there was not only astonishment, but also that many were enthusiastic about the ideas behind this art project.
The shoes, washed ashore, which Frouwkje tied together in odd pairs, do not only refer to the diversity of the population but also to the culture of waste which leaves its trails on the many beaches. At the same time a historic dimension and relation between shoes and bridge exist. In the past, crossing over the bridge was free of charge if one didn’t wear shoes, while the rest had to pay.
Documentation is the last facet that makes this art project so valuable. Inherent in ‘Walking 2gether’ is the uniqueness of the work. It is therefore logical that documentation of it is of essential value. Pictures have been taken and a film has been made. This book completes the circle.
Translated into English by Lars van Zanten