Draden van ons Nederlandse Slavernijverleden: a week filled with workshops, talks and performances

In June, Nest opens its doors for a unique collective creation process: Draden van ons Nederlandse slavernijverleden. For five days, work will take place in the exhibition space on a monumental wall tapestry that depicts the colonial slavery history of South Holland.

The design was created by artist Marcos Kueh and is inspired by stained glass windows in churches – a reference to Christianity as a religion deeply intertwined with slavery and Western colonial expansion. On the outer sides of the tapestry, the slavery past is depicted. As you move toward the center, more space emerges for dreams and hope for the future.

On the left side of the tapestry, Kueh has included the image Hulde aan de Koloniën known from the Golden Coach. This image illustrates the colonial ideologies that justified the exploitation of people and resources in the Caribbean and the Dutch East Indies. Also depicted are the Mauritshuis and Leiden University, symbolizing that colonial history is not only present in buildings, but also in the ways knowledge was – and still is – constructed, and how that knowledge is now changing.

Nest believes in the power of making things together. Collaboration creates community lies at the heart of our mission. Many hands make light work, which is why everyone is welcome to contribute to this special tapestry. With or without experience: together we embroider, quilt, or felt a tapestry that, during its creation, offers space for encounters and conversation. No experience with these techniques is required – curiosity, attention, and an open attitude are enough.

From Monday to Thursday, work will be done on the tapestry, and each day will include an in-depth program featuring special speakers, makers, and thinkers reflecting on the colonial past and the ways it continues to impact the present. These talks, workshops, and encounters bring together history, community, and future. The entire program is free and open to all.

The tapestry created at Nest is part of a larger movement. Threads of Our Slavery Past began in Groningen as an initiative by Ricardo Burgzorg, with a group of volunteers and artist Hedy Tjin. Now, the project is traveling across the country. In each province, a unique tapestry is made, rooted in local histories. Together, they form a layered and collective monument. Eventually, the tapestries from all provinces will be joined and presented as one large 35-meter-long tapestry.

We are proud to contribute to this important story and warmly invite you to participate, share, and bear witness. Would you like to participate? Each workshop has a maximum amount of participants of 25. The debate programme organised in collaboration with De Balie On Tour there are 150 tickets. Check the programme for each specific day in our agenda and register for one of the workshops for free!