Mek´ den taki
(Let them talk)
Upcoming exhibition:
This series is about finding your own identity, while being burdened by the weight of expectations, cultural customs, unspoken traumas and unresolved events. As the oldest daughter in an immigrant family, Mirjam felt that she had to seize the opportunities for which her parents had left everything behind in search for a better life. Within the Surinamese community, difficult issues are generally not discussed. But trauma stays with you until you face it and explore it. By uncovering patterns, you can try to understand, change, and heal them. ​ ​
I have always lived on the dividing line
between Dutch and Surinamese
Those who remain silent about trauma never truly break free from it.
At my big age (very close to 50) I finally found the courage to talk about some stuff. Not only talk about but to use my body as a canvas to open the discussion. ​ Yes, in this day and age we are finally talking about colonialism and slavery. But I feel that in many ways there are limitations to this discussion. And we are barely scratching the surface. ​ The fact is colonial thinking influences how we look at the material. There seems to be a matter of indifference when it comes to "black pain". ​ Why are we still talking about this?? Can't we move on from this?? ​ What is universal, is that we cannot be asked to move on from something if you don't understand what it is that you are asking.