WILLEMSTAD – Gallery Alma Blou is embarking on an ambitious project to digitize its complete archive, preserving 25 years of art exhibitions on Curaçao. Founder Lusette Verboom (69) has kept every document related to artists who showcased their work at the gallery since its opening in 1996, according to Caribisch Netwerk.
The extensive archive includes contracts, photographs, speeches, and price lists from hundreds of artists. “Sometimes I come across something and think, wow, I had completely forgotten about that,” said Verboom.
Move Sparks Digital Preservation Effort
The project began after Verboom moved in 2023 from a large historic house to a one-room apartment, where she realized the sheer volume of her collection. “I thought, what am I going to do with all these files and boxes? But I couldn’t throw them away,” she said.
With support from the Cultuurfonds Caribisch gebied through the DigitALL program, Verboom is working alongside a digitization specialist to bring the archive into the digital age.
More Than Just Scanning
The process, she admits, is far more labor-intensive than expected. “I thought you just put something under the scanner and that’s it. But no—there’s much more to it,” Verboom explained. Each item must be carefully prepared, then organized by exhibition, artist, medium, and year.
The final goal is to create a searchable online database. “Not everything will go online, but artists will be able to look back at their own exhibitions. And if someone asks, ‘What was the price of my work in 2005?’ I’ll be able to find it,” she said.
A Changing Art Scene
The archive also reflects how Curaçao’s art market has evolved. “In the past, I could easily sell 40,000 guilders’ worth of art during an exhibition. Now it’s different,” Verboom noted. She believes audience behavior has shifted in a “throwaway society” where people buy art to match their interiors and replace it when trends change.
The style and content of artworks have also changed. “In the 1990s, you saw a lot of landscapes and historic houses. Now I mostly see portraits of women taken from the internet, without any real story behind them,” she observed.
Towards a Regional Platform
Verboom hopes to expand the project into a regional initiative. She has already secured the domain name Dutch Caribbean Artist Index with the aim of turning the archive into a platform for the entire Dutch Caribbean. “I don’t want this to remain a personal archive. Once the site is live, other gallery owners will be able to contribute as well.”
Her ultimate goal is to preserve the region’s visual heritage. “In Curaçao, almost nothing is available digitally, while in the Netherlands, nearly everything is archived. It’s time we do the same here—before it’s lost forever,” she said.
