The Netherlands abolished slavery on July 1st of 1863, and they were the last country in Europe to do so. The National Slavery Monument, made by the renowned Surinamese artist Erwin de Vries, serves as a place for reflection and a memorial for the Dutch Trans-Atlantic slave trade.
On the photograph we see a twig of a cotton plant, which was placed next to the statues in Oosterpark. The twig recalls one of the products that was produced on the plantations in the Caribbean. In the days leading up to July 1st, when Keti Koti (“the breaking of chains”) takes place, the sculptures are dressed by the Surinamese community in Amsterdam.
Image: Buitenkunst Amsterdam
