OOSTCAST
Together with Fré Calmes, Jerrold Saija, and Nicky Saliha, I was one of the artists that was invited to create an illustration for the OOSTCAST project.
Javastraat, Ambonplein, Sumatraplantsoen. These are just a few examples of street names in the Indische Buurt in Amsterdam East. OOSTCAST invites you to learn more about the hidden stories behind these names. The project consists of a 3.5 km walking route, a podcast, and artistic reflections on various locations in the Indische Buurt.
For more information about OOSTCAST you can visit their website: www.oostcast.nl
Explanations about these three illustrations:
"The Fairytale" is inspired by the story surrounding the book Max Havelaar by Multatuli, published in 1860. The word “Insulinder” was used for the first time in this book. With this word, Multatuli referred to the beautiful islands and the warm climate. Many people in the Netherlands found this so enchanting and fairytale-like that it convinced them to move to the colony. The softness Multatuli meant with the word “Insulinder” and the harshness of the colonial regime are both reflected in this artwork.
The object from "The Magic Staff" is on display at the Groningen Museum. It was taken from the Batak people, who live on the island of Sumatra, during the colonial period. The Batak are the indigenous inhabitants and magic staffs like this one are used in various rituals. The elements on the staff are handmade from local materials, with each part representing a specific god, story, or event. It has not yet been determined whether this object is considered stolen art or a gift. All objects in this illustration refer to the Batak Folk.
The illustration “Water Master” is one of these works and tells the history of Makassar. During the colonial periods, the Dutch fleet attempted to seize this location due to its valuable spices and its perfect position along trade routes. To do so, they had to face off against the powerfull Kingdom of Gowa. Eventually, in 1669, Makassar was forcibly annexed by the Dutch East India Company (VOC). However, anti-colonial resistance persisted until the end of the Indonesian fight for independence in 1949.
