A Conversation with the Past for the Future
A Conversation with the Past for the Future is a 'mobile monument' that brings together stories and information from Sites of Memory performances for the coming 4 years. This first edition shares stories from the performance Forget to Remember. Through an evocative installation of portraits on flags and audio fragments, we invite the audience to engage with shared histories and personal narratives about the colonial-and slavery past.
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This installation was able to be visited from Tuesday the 11th of November till Sunday 16th November.
In 2026 it will continue to new places - dates and more info will come soon
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Origins
The idea for A Conversation with the Past for the Future originated in 2022. As part of the performance Returning the Gaze, artist Judith Westerveld created an installation of 130 portraits printed on fabric, displayed across the Abdijplein in Middelburg.
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This commemorative gesture honored 130 enslaved men, women, and children from Angola who were forced to stand there in 1596. Because no names or images of them remain, their likenesses were represented as silhouettes, giving them presence and dignity. At the end of the performance, the audience was invited to hang a portrait, creating a collective ritual of remembrance.
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Since then, Keti Koti Zeeland has used the installation annually during its commemoration events. The impact of this installation inspired the idea to further develop it artistically into a performance installation.
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Artistic Collaboration
Visual artist Judith Westerveld and poet/music producer Jörgen Gario collaborate in developing A Conversation with the Past for the Future. Building on stories from the performance Forget to Remember, they design new portraits that are featured within the flag installation. Each portrait connects to a person or story central to the performance.
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In Groningen, Judith Westerveld, Jörgen Gario, and choreographer Tara Salahshor worked with a group of professional and semi-professional artists in a series of workshops. Together, they explored both personal histories and underrepresented stories from the history of colonialism and slavery.
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The process culminates in a short performance on 11 and 12 November in Martinikerk, Groningen. These participants’ stories also feature in the accompanying audio installation.
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Audio Installation
The immersive audio component of A Conversation with the Past for the Future includes text and language from the performance, enriched with new stories emerging from the workshop series. Visitors can listen to this soundscape by scanning a QR code at the installation site.
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Event Details
The introductory performance an introduction to A Conversation with the Past for the Future takes place at Martinikerk on 11 and 12 November at 19:30, as part of the evening program for Forget to Remember.
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In 2026 it will continue to new places - dates and more info will come soon
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Credits
Concept: Katy Streek, Judith Westerveld
Portrait Design: Judith Westerveld
Text and Audio Landscape: Jörgen Gario
Choreography: Tara Salahshor
Performers: Nina Ashley Bach, Paula Breuning, Nicchelle Buyne, Dickey Bos, Sadie Delintzis, Jemaya Douwes, Milly, Titia Prins, Soraya Reichl, Cecilia Rizal, Ruth Ruijgers
Creative producer: Gina-Alina Patilea
Technical producer: Boaz van den Ban
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