patricia kaersenhout
Born in the Netherlands but a descendant from Surinamese parents, patricia kaersenhout developed an artistic journey in which she investigates her Surinamese background in relation to her upbringing in a West European culture. The political thread in her work raises questions about the African diaspora’s movements and its relation to feminism, sexuality, racism and the history of slavery. She considers her art practice to be a social one. With her projects she supports marginalized people. By revealing forgotten histories she tries to regain dignity and encourages transformative justice. She frequently has shows in the Netherlands and abroad. Four major Dutch museums acquired the installation Guess who’s coming to dinner too?, which refers to Judy Chicago’s canonical work The Dinner Party, only this time erased and forgotten Black heroines of resistance are honoured. In 2023, she was the first Black woman in the Netherlands to realize a monument of Flight and Resistance for the city of Utrecht, commemorating 150 years of abolition. She won an international competition. Her critical reflection on a colonial monument in Braunschweig, Germany will be inaugurated in July 2024. She is founder of the Lockward collective which won the International competition for realizing a decolonial monument in Berlin, Germany.