Keti Koti Celebration

Stall

1 July 2026
11 am – 4 pm
Abdijplein Middelburg (Map)

Fragments from Srefidensi visual papers (2017). Concept Sara Blokland.
| Keti Koti Celebration

Before the market starts, there will be a commemoration service at the Koorkerk in Middelburg from 10:00 til 12:15.

This year, for the first time, Vleeshal is a part of the Keti Koti-Festival festivities in Middelburg. During the market on the Abbey Square (Abdijplein), Vleeshal will host a stall featuring art, promotional materials, and continuous workshops. Through this participation, Vleeshal underscores the importance of the Keti Koti celebration and the commemoration of the abolition of slavery. Additionally, the work Srefidensi by Sara Blokland is presented to shed light on the enduring impact of colonial history—specifically regarding the struggle for Surinam’s independence (1975).

In her work, artist and researcher Sara Blokland explores the relationship between photography and (post)colonial cultural history. On display at the market are newspapers resulting from Srefidensi, a research initiative by Blokland and FOTODOK. Together with writers, researchers, and artists, Blokland examined photographs that depict the resistance and emancipation of the Surinamese people. Countless images were distilled into five stories in which photography, resistance, and Suriname played central roles. These included the history of the statue of Queen Wilhelmina in Suriname, the story of the identity of the Surinamese flag, the forgotten resistance of Suriname’s Indigenous population, the protests of Surinamese people in the Netherlands during the 1970s, and the symbolic self-portraits of Surinamese activist Wim Bos Verschuur.

Work by Sara Blokland will be on display in the exhibition Vleeshal Collectie On Tour at Vleeshal from July 4 to September 13. Vleeshal is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary, in collaboration with Artbase Terneuzen, with this large-scale exhibition project, presenting works from the Vleeshal collection at ten different locations across Zeeland.

Inspired by Sara Blokland’s artwork, a newspaper will be crafted during the market centered on the statement "Keti Koti is important (to me) because...". Throughout the day, visitors can join the workshop table and contribute texts, drawings, or collages based on the theme. Participation is free, and everyone is welcome!

Events

1 July