Welcome
This is a visual narrative about Curaçao’s rich history – its colonial violence and cultural vibrancy – expressed through its architecture. Though historical photographs of buildings, it tells the story of the colonial impact of the Dutch presence on Curaçao: the multicultural mix of European classical, Dutch, African, and tropical architectural styles, and also the more monocultural emphasis on Dutchness today. This story is important because it is as much about Curaçao’s colonial past as it is about its contemporary identity.
This visual narrative focuses on capital city Willemstad’s downtown buildings, mainly from the 18th century. As you follow the path through this visual essay, you will embark on a virtual journey to downtown Willemstad via photographs. To follow the path, scroll to the bottom of each page and click on the link to the next page. You will find helpful and precise pointers about Willemstad's architectural and historical specificities in a reader-friendly format. On each page, you can click on the audio files, or read the text (they are the same), as you interact with annotated images in the galleries.
This site is a small part of a larger research project I've been working on since 2013, and I plan to eventually turn it into a chapter in my book and also a larger Digital Humanities project with 3D models of historic and contemporary Willemstad, Curaçao. I am an art historican and digital humanist, currently the Digital Liberal Arts Fellow for the Mellon Scholars Program, and an instructor in Art and Art History.
The project includes contributions from my global partner, Dr. Sneharika Roy of the Department of Comparative Literature and English at the American University of Paris, who has also provided thoughtful advice on the formulation of the project. Special thanks to the Hope College coordinators of Challenging Borders, Dr. Berta Carrasco and Dr. Heidi Kraus, and Hope student and Mellon Scholar Irene Gerrish, whose voice you hear on the audio files.
