Synopses & Reviews
Paramaribo SPAN: Contemporary Art in Suriname lets Surinamese artists, writers and international exhibition producers talk about recent work in the visual arts (2000 - 2010) in Suriname and the lively cultural climate in Paramaribo. Span refers in the various languages of Suriname to tension and excitement, as well as to bridging distances and to those who make up a team. In a series of interviews, 27 predominantly young visual artists (17 from Suriname and 10 from Rotterdam) speak about their ideas, working methods and experiences. This creates a picture of the way in which Surinamese and Dutch artists think about art, the artistic process, their careers and the similarities and differences between them. Current cultural and social themes are also discussed, such as the development of the interior of the country, the vulnerability of the rainforest, the city and the diverse makeup of the population in Suriname. The trigger for this richly illustrated publication is the 145th anniversary of De Surinaamsche Bank. Paramaribo SPAN also heralds the completion of ArtRoPa, a three-year exchange project for artists in Rotterdam and Paramaribo. With contributions from Chandra van Binnendijk, Chris Cozier, Nicolas Laughlin, Arnold Schalks Siebe Thissen, Marieke Visser and Fred de Vries.