50x30dimei

50x30diMei was a traveling exhibit commemorating the racial revolt of May 1969 on the Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao.

The uprising, which started as a mass strike at the Shell built refinery in the early morning hours of May 30, 1969, quickly turned into a revolutionary march to the seat of government in Willemstad.

When labor leaders were shot by police, the years of colonial repression and racism exploded into an unmanageable energy of fire, looting & brimstone.

The exposition featured a virtual reality piece, a weekly theater performance as well as educational & oral history components. Traveling the island, the exhibit landed in six different locations from October to December 2019.

The exhibit was presented in Curacao’s Papiamentu language as well as English.

Visitors were invited to follow both an historical and a more future oriented route, where could envision an inclusive society.

kodi crone was the lead curator, writer, researcher and virtual reality director on the 50x30diMei project.

They also attended to a central table with art supplies, where visitors were asked to creatively express their experiences and impressions at the expo and around the May movement in general.

The drawings and other creative material functioned as a marker in an ongoing dialogue about Curacao’s colonial mindset.

@Post V

~ the entrance to the former Shell refinery ~

@Banda’Bou

~ the country side ~

@Be In ~ 30diMei

~ virtual reality bus ~

@Be In ~ 30diMei

~ outtakes from the VR experience ~

@Teatro Foro

~ weekly theatre performance ~

@Willemstad

~ in town ~