Windward Islands artists exhibit at Zwolle museum

Windward Islands artists Ras Mosera (St. Maarten), Magumbo Muntu (St. Eustatius), Heleen Cornet and Glenda Heyliger (Saba) have been selected to exhibit their work in a museum in Zwolle, the Netherlands, on the occasion of the celebration of 200 years Kingdom of the Netherlands. The work of the Windward islands artists, along with that of a number of colleagues from Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, will be part of the exhibition titled “Tropical Kingdom” at Museum de Fundatie in Zwolle. The exhibition, which lasts from November 29, 2013 to March 16, 2014, provides an extensive overview of contemporary visual art from all six Dutch Caribbean islands. Chairlady of the National Committee 200 years Kingdom, Commissioner to the King for the Province Overijssel and former State Secretary of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ank Bijleveld-Schouten will perform the opening on November 28. This writes The Daily Herald.
The exhibition will display the work of 20 artists from the islands. A wide variety of art forms will be presented ranging from classic paintings to modern installations. A number of artworks will be specially produced on location for the exhibition which has been compiled by art-historian and publicist Maarten Jager. Exhibiting will be: David Bade, Herman van Bergen, René Emil Bergsma, Ruben La Cruz and Karolien Helweg, Yubi Kirindongo, Tirzo Martha, Felix de Rooy and Kirk Claes, Evelien Sipkes, Ellen Spijkstra – all from Curaçao; Ciro Abath, Stan Kuiperi, Elvis Lopez, Osaira Muyale en Ryan Oduber – Aruba; Nochi Coffie en Winfred Dania (Bonaire); Ras Mosera (St. Maarten); Heleen Cornet and Glenda Heyliger (Saba); Magumbo Muntu (St. Eustatius).
According to a press release from the museum, Heleen Cornet will exhibit a series of poetic aquarelles on cloth painted in Saba’s tropical forest. “She lets the sounds of island residents cross over in classical music of Benjamin Britten,” it was stated.
Tropical Kingdom is the first large-scale museum overview in the Netherlands of contemporary visual arts from all six Dutch Caribbean islands. A total of 130 works will be shown. There will be special attention for the specific developments and backgrounds of this art, including the relation with the Netherlands. A catalogue in three languages: Dutch, English and Papiamentu, will be published about the exhibition. Tropical Kingdom is being sponsored by the Province Overijssel, the Prince Bernhard Culture Fund, Koninklijke De Gruijter and Co., Maduro and Curiel’s Bank and BCD Holdings.