Director of the National Library of Aruba, Mrs. Astrid Britten presented the artistic book MATERNITY to ‘Susanita la bella’ from Aruba Experience for visitors of the future mini-museum of Rancho, which will open on BETICODAY, intertwined with the 200 years celebration of Oranjestad. Since December 2023, the book MATERNITY has also been available at the Wereldmuseum of Amsterdam (ex-Tropenmuseum), entrance to café KIT (Royal Tropical Institute).
With the support of ATA, the book MATERNITY will be presented in Aruba around Mother’s Day 2024, in the National Library of Aruba (NBA). Collaboration with Aruba Experience and/or with the mini-museum that wants to collaborate with the entire cultural sector is possible. The next presentations of the book are planned at Terramar Museum on Bonaire and then in collaboration with the Directorate of Culture on Sint Maarten. Perhaps also at the Cultural Center Curaçao (CCC)… Workshops will also be offered by Rancho model, actress and writer Zuleika Coffie and by artist Gustave Nouel.
MOTHERHOOD by the author Zuleika Coffie, with roots in Rancho, will also be available to visitors at the Rancho Mini-Museum. In the mini-museum of Rancho, where now mainly works of art by Gustave (www.gustavenouel.nl) and also famous family member (tio) Padu (JCWLampe) can be seen, books and CDs of ‘Padu del Caribe’ will also be available. Background music will be an ode to Padu, the ‘Father of Aruban Culture’. Gustave (GN) will occasionally make ‘street sketches’ of interested parties in the museum. Vivian Lampe (daughter of Padu) and her husband Victor Samuel (‘El Duque’) will provide surprises in this museum as long as it is open. The Betico paintings by Gustave Nouel-Croes are intertwined with the celebration of 200 years of Oranjestad, an ode to Betico.
Also well-known artists with Rancho roots such as Mo Mohammed, Ciro Abbath and Toton Quant (rip) may contribute as special guests with one special work of art. The mini-museum was created as a cultural gift to Aruba from ‘Susanita la bella’ (arubaexperience.com), thanks to guidance and recommendations since six months ago from Stanley Brown (ARUBA.COM). Together with Gustave, Stanley & Clayton Brown are also developing plans to help stimulate/realize larger museums for all Aruban artists in the near future, in addition to this mini-museum. To realize this dream, support from both the commercial sector and the cultural and tourism sector is needed. The mini-museum of Rancho will be officially opened on januari 25 at 6:00 PM at Ranchostraat 12-14.
