The book ‘Motherhood’, contributes to cultural exchange in our kingdom

 DEVENTER

Aruban model and actress Zuleika Coffie handed over a four-language book ‘MATERNITY’ to the deputy mayor of Deventer, Mr. Marcel Elferink as an opening act of the exhibition ‘DREAM DESTINATION’, under the auspices of the Orange Association (https://deventeroranjevereniging.nl/kunstcircuit-2023/). The Orange Association also provided Caribbean snacks advised by the AABA foundation (Antilliaans en Arubaans Beraad Apeldoorn). ‘MATERNITY is a universal 4-language book, published by LM Publishers (https://lmpublishers.nl/product/moederschap/).

An interdisciplinary collaborative project between Zuleika and the professional artist GN (www.gustavenouel.nl). The exhibition ‘DREAM DESTINATION’ shows work by 25 artists from the region and is part of a pilot cultural exchange between the Motherland and Sint Maarten/NIA (www.nationalinstituteofarts.com/). Until 16 July, some works of art from this special exhibition can be seen at Kunstcircuit (www.kunstcircuit.nl).

Lilian Vos (program leader Library) coordinated this pilot project and the Aruban artist GN (www.gustavenouel.nl) as the initiator of this project, was allowed to advise.

Dance teacher Manon van ‘t Spijker (www.base4dance.nl) went to Sint Maarten together with visual artists/teachers Rob van Putten and Annemarie van Uden, after Silvia Carty, Jonathan Van Anneman and Arlene Halley had shared their expertise in Deventer. In addition to the official pilot project, artist/teacher Silvia Carty also gave workshops at ‘Zorgatelier Kunstwerkt’ to some ‘special’ artists, Marianne de Bakker students. Art Brut Gallery also organized an art auction to support future exchanges. And at the artists’ association DAK, Silvia Carty, gave a well-attended crash course in Carnival Pop-Art to regional artists of all levels that are under the guidance of GN. (https://www.deventeramateurkunstenaars.nl/lessen-en-begeleiders-1)

The culmination of this cultural exchange was a presentation in the Deventer theatre, in which the project (Art2Fuse) of Base4Dance and the BK teachers Rob and Annemarie in SXM, was shared with the general public.

After a positive evaluation of this pilot project, future cultural exchanges are being prepared, also with the other Overseas Territories, expanded with music, theatre, fashion, literature, and/or other art disciplines.
This initiative has the support of Lilian Vos (Library)the Oranjevereniging (DOV), the Municipality of Deventer, Fonds voor de Cultuurparticipatie, Stichting Kunstwerkt, Stichting AABA, and other partners.

APELDOORN

Also in Apeldoorn, the four-language book ‘MOTHERSHIP’, recently was handed over to alderman Sunita Biharie, by Zuleika Coffie and GN, as an opening act of the multicultural festival KOM.

KOM is a new, international multicultural event, organized in Apeldoorn, where various cultures meet and diversity is an asset. With music, dance, art (performances), workshops, stories/poems, fashion, children’s activities,  exhibitions, and activities of various participating cultures. Also with tasty snacks from China, Turkey, Morocco, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Indonesia, Africa, Cape Verde islands, Eritrea, Iran, the Caribbean, etc… KOM stands for colorful encounters, with themes of Nature, Culture, and Diversity. Sustained by Amnesty, Energieke Maten, Zero Waste, IVN, Refugee Work, the Samenspraak Foundation, and Stimenz, amongst others.  The Aruban artist GN was also invited in 2022 for quick portrait performances during the first KOM festival.

This year (2023) there were writers from different countries who read from their books and interacted with the public. Surprising in this literary part was when the Amsterdam-based Aruban actress, model-coach, and writer, Zuleika Coffie,  shared an intimate emotional story with the audience with the poem ‘RESPECT’, in the four most spoken languages in Aruba. The audience enjoyed her story and performance so much that they spontaneously asked the author to read more poems… A dream is to also present the book ‘MATERNITY’  on other Dutch-Caribbean islands. This four-language book (with the subtitle: FROM DREAM TO REALITY), is an artistic collaborative project in ‘word and image’ between the Aruban artist GN and the Aruban actress, model (coach), and writer Zuleika Coffie. This book is not only a quadrilingual book with an ode to universal (and particular) motherhood, but also a striving to help create a bridge between the European and Caribbean parts of the Dutch Kingdom and between them and the rest of the world, in the artistic sense of the word.