WILLEMSTAD – The Mongui Maduro Library will host a special cultural event on Tuesday, April 28, dedicated to the life and work of artist Suzanne Perlman, celebrating the launch of a new book and a pop-up exhibition showcasing her legacy.
The evening will center around the release of the new publication Suzanne Perlman (2026), published by Skira Editore, which presents the complete body of work of the artist. The event comes at a moment of renewed international attention for Perlman, whose work is also currently featured in an exhibition at Singer Laren.
Perlman, who lived in Curaçao from 1940 to 1990, drew much of her artistic inspiration from the island. Her expressive and colorful paintings captured everyday life in Curaçao, ranging from cityscapes and street vendors to domino players, dance scenes and intimate domestic portraits.
Visitors to the Mongui Maduro Library may already be familiar with one of her best-known works, Kelki na boka (1975), which has long been displayed prominently in the library’s study area.
Despite being highly productive throughout her lifetime, Perlman’s work remained relatively unknown for many years. That is now changing as her oeuvre gains wider recognition both locally and internationally.
The event will begin at 6:00 p.m., when guests will have the opportunity to view a special pop-up exhibition, meet Perlman’s grandson and book author Matthew Perlman, and engage with local experts who contributed to the book, including art historian Josée Thissen-Rojer and cultural historian Margo Groenewoud.
At 7:00 p.m., the program will continue on the library’s rooftop terrace with presentations by the authors, followed by a question-and-answer session with the moderator and the official baptism of the book.
Organizers say the evening is intended not only as a tribute to Perlman’s artistic legacy, but also as an opportunity for Curaçao to reconnect with an important artist whose work documented the island’s social and cultural life in vivid detail.