WILLEMSTAD - Artist Carlos Blaaker was asked by the Pride Curaçao organization to exhibit his artwork during Pride Week. Blaaker's art exhibition consists of sculptures that are inspired by people he thinks you might encounter on a daily basis. Last Sunday was the opening of the exhibition in the Kunstkamer in Otrobanda.
Blaaker is a visual artist who uses contemporary stories. The artist has made use of people from the LGBTIQA+ community for his exhibition. According to the artist, this was not a conscious choice, but a coincidence. In addition to people from the queer community, Blaaker has also asked immigrants, homeless people and people he knows to pose for him. "Some models decide for themselves what attitude they want to adopt. Others I help with that."
The Dutch site Nu.cw spoke to Carlo Dubach, one of the men who posed for the art exhibition. Carlo's sculpture includes the pink table. According to Dubach, there is an old Antillean tradition in the image. The tradition is that dominoes were always played around the table. Only men were allowed to sit at the table. This is why it was nicknamed the 'Piemel Table'.
Besides that, the pink table symbolizes an old Antillean tradition. Does the table also have a bent leg? Dubach explains that the crooked leg represents everyone who is part of society even if that means that you 'deviate' from the norm.
Blaaker had daily contact with a 'choller' or a homeless man. He asked the man to pose for him. The piece of wood on his head represents the heavy load he always carried. "It's not easy for him." The artist wanted to connect all the people who posed for him, to support each other. The homeless man was linked to the sculpture's woman in purple underwear. The homeless man was shocked and said this was impossible because he liked men.
Roderik was painted by Blaaker after he came into contact with the trans man through a board member of Fundashon Orguyo Kòrsou. Roderik told his story and, among other things, why he thought he was in the wrong body. The letters in the painting represent questions that Carlos received during the tale of Roderik and the painting.
This is the woman Blaaker wanted to match the homeless man to, but the woman turned out to be a lesbian. The woman in the image symbolizes her first experience with sex toys. In order not to express this explicitly, Blaaker has replaced it with a mast of a boat. The flag was bought by Blaaker in Mexico and represents the rainbow flag. The book in her hands must represent the Bible.
The sculptures with a bag over the head are inspired by the poem 'The bag'. No one can judge the person in the bag because of the bag over the head. According to Carlo, someone can then be more vulnerable. This gave Carlo a safe and protected feeling. No one judges or condemns him.