Temporary slavery commemoration artwork destroyed in Eindhoven

A temporary art installation set up for the commemoration of Keti Koti in Eindhoven has been destroyed, Eindhovens Dagblad reported on Sunday. The individuals responsible for this act have yet to be identified.

The artwork, symbolized by a chain on a wooden pedestal, is located behind the Eindhoven city hall along the Dommel river bank. It was crafted by Tommy van der Loo, a Tilburg artist and descendant of a slave.

As Eindhoven has yet to establish a monument dedicated to its slavery history, this installation was intended to provide a temporary site for laying wreaths. The plan was to keep the artwork in place for at least several days.

Saida Vianen, the chairperson of the Eindhoven June 30/July 1 Committee, was shocked upon hearing the news of the artwork's destruction. She expressed her distress to the Eindhovens Dagblad, saying, "This deeply affects me, it makes me wonder: what is the motive behind this? Was it done by people unaware of the symbolic value, or was it a deliberate act? Sadly, I fear we may never know the answer."

Tijdelijk Keti Koti-kunstwerk in Eindhoven vernield: ‘Je vraagt je echt af: wat zit hierachter?’ https://t.co/eTQTptl7EV pic.twitter.com/nOZPzYXFtU

— Brabants Dagblad (@bdmeierij) July 2, 2023

In a separate incident, a slavery monument in Vlissingen was covered with stickers and racial slurs this Saturday. The monument, erected by Vlissingen residents on Thursday, was covered with messages like "2070: white minority" and "Media are the enemy.” Stickers bearing Dutch flags and text saying "No to repopulation" were also found on the monument.

Eindhoven is no stranger to such incidents. In February, racist texts were briefly projected onto Eindhoven city hall. The projection displayed racist texts such as "Keep Lampegat white" and "We must secure the survival of our People and a future for White Children," translated from Dutch.