2024 – “Real Dutch Woollen Delft Blue Balancing Acts”
as follow up of “Real Dutch Woollen Delft Blue”
An interactively changing and evolving multi sensory installation with elements of collecting, stacking and balancing reflecting historical and colonial elements of ‘Real Dutch Woollen Delft Blue’ (Delft Blue combined with Dutch woollen blankets from the 1970s) as a temporary accumulation of (colonial) “curiosities” and other artefacts. Balancing acts with possibilities for new personal stories, memories and associations by connecting new perspectives from the past and present.
An attempt to make the (colonial) heritage transitional and (in)tangible: warm and cold, soft and hard, with added scents of cinnamon, cloves, soap, …, flowers, asking us questions about historical art(e)facts, assumptions and forgotten perspectives to achieve a new creative, diverse, inclusive and just balance.
This installation invites (playfully/serious) to interact and give feedback in search of new personal balance(s). The objects are to touch with care to create a more inclusive multi sensory experience. Feedback (writings), collecting stories (recorded) and changes are meant to document (photos). Collected stories, reactions will be made audible through head phones or little speakers.
Further interactive (workshop) activities to be developed with different (specific, different abled, creative, educational) groups, e.g. The public can pick up objects themselves (or add a personal object) and associatively put together narrative or aesthetic “installations”. Less vulnerable, less valuable materials, replicas that refer to other (domestic) objects or artefacts from the collection can be used. Small (blue) tables, chairs small and big can be used for watching, listening, writing, drawing and dialog. By taking place the public becomes part of the interactive installation.
“Real Dutch Woollen Delft Blue Balancing Acts” with woollen bones, carved wooden men figure (probably Suriname), the scents of cinnamon and cloves.
“Real Dutch Woollen Delft Blue Balancing Acts” with biological flowers
“Real Dutch Woollen Delft Blue Balancing Acts” on a little dark blue children table with biological flowers, little woollen bone, carved wooden men figure (probably Suriname) and spools of thread (coloured dark blue, light blue and white thread)