WILLEMSTAD - Blue Bay Sculpture Garden has a special first: for the very first time, a sculpture by internationally renowned artist Tirzo Martha (1965, Willemstad) is placed in a public space in Curaçao.
In 2019, Martha won the prestigious Wilhelmina Ring Award – the Dutch national prize for sculpture – and made his name internationally with his powerful sculptures, performances, and installations. His work has been exhibited in the Netherlands (Europe), Curaçao, the United States, Latin America, and across the Caribbean, but never before permanently in the public space of his native island. The board of the Blue Bay Sculpture Garden Foundation Curaçao is very proud to welcome this work.
Imagination as a Force
“Art – or rather: imagination – is for me an instrument to connect people, strengthen them, support them, and set things in motion,” says Martha.
His work often arises from social observation and personal experience. This untitled sculpture is part of the series Chronisch Monochroom (2021–2022). It was created at a time when Martha was recovering from a virus that affected his heart and required him to remain hospitalized for a long period, both in Curaçao and in Colombia. The white, sterile environment of hospitals and the unfinished buildings in Curaçao inspired a series of mostly white sculptures reflecting on the fragility of existence, dreams, recovery, and the value of time.
The Blue Bay work was first shown at Museum Curaçao (2023) and later in the exhibition Intensive Care at the Museum van Bommel van Dam, Venlo (2024).
From Everyday Materials to Social Commentary
As often in his work, Martha uses everyday construction or street materials that gain new meaning in a different context. The sculpture carries social weight. A striking detail is the graffiti on it: “No ta Huur ni Bende!” (Not for Rent nor Sale!) – a strong call to reflect.
Tip: Visit the work at night, when the lighting gives it an extra layer of imagination.
Connected to Young Talent
Alongside his own career, Martha dedicates himself to the next generation. In 2006, together with David Bade, he founded Instituto Buena Bista (IBB): a center for contemporary art and art education in Curaçao. Young people between 14 and 25 years old can follow an intensive preparatory program there for further art studies in the Netherlands or abroad.
The collaboration between Blue Bay and IBB also takes shape in the Sculpture Garden: two pedestals change regularly, each year displaying a new work by a talented IBB student.
With the first Tirzo Martha sculpture in Curaçao’s public space, not only is an artistic milestone being celebrated, but a connection is also made between past, present, and future – an invitation for everyone to experience the power of imagination.
