Sara Blokland

“Srefidensi” (Independence) (2015 – 2017) is an artistic research project that uses photography to reflect on centuries of protest, resistance, and emancipation within the Surinamese community before the official independence of Suriname in 1975. The project aims to uncover lesser-known histories of emancipation and resistance in Suriname. It particularly concentrates on photographs displaying images with (protest) texts, visual staging (re-enactment), and potent symbols and symbolism related to Suriname, its people, and narratives of the struggle for independence.

This research culminated in the creation of five image-based newspapers, an exhibition at the Tropen Museum, autonomous works in public spaces in collaboration with artist Jaya Pelupessy, and a  series of four symposiums hosted at institutions including The Amsterdam Museum, Fotodok, The Black Archives, and the Tropenmuseum. Additionally, a collection of essays written by various invited authors was produced.

The visual newspapers were developed in close collaboration with graphic designer Yvonne van Versendaal and vary in design, which corresponds to their content. Although most newspapers do not attempt to narrate a “complete” story, they present fragments of knowledge and serve as a starting point to rethink histories.