Keti Koti Portraits is my new, long-term project. With this project I would like to raise attention for the commemoration of the abolition of slavery in Surinam and the Netherlands Antilles by the Netherlands on July 1st 1863 (or 1873 because forced labor still existed until that year). It would be good if this became a national holiday on which we all can look back and forward, a day to heal and to celebrate.

This year’s July 1st, due to COVID-19, there were less festivities but people celebrated nonetheless, I went to talk with people who had dressed up or were otherwise involved in the celebration of Keti Koti. Many of them were enthusiastic about my project and liked the idea of their portraits being made. I took pictures of them as a reference to work from in my studio. The first portrait I made was of Glenda and has been exhibited in M_M_Artspace last month. This is the second portrait in the series: Hillary. To be continued.