NRC Op-ed by Renzo Martens
7 June 2023
Image: Screenshot of Renzo Martens’ publication on NRC, including “On the loose” by Jan Dibbets (1969) – Photo: Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
On 7 June 2023, Renzo Martens’ article about the connection between plantation workers and the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam was published. In the publication, Martens begins by presenting the work of Dutch artist Jan Dibbets who, in 1969, dug out the four corners of the Stedelijk Museum to expose its foundations and question the existence of the museum. Fifty years later, while still speculating on the unrestrained continuation of plantation labor, the Stedelijk has not yet given credit to the plantation workers who contributed to the construction of the museum. Martens writes:
“The truth is that plantation workers are the co-authors of every single wall, every beam of light and every line of perspective.”
Read the full article here on NRC.