In the spirit of my culture
The column figuration for poet, writer and visual artist Edgar Cairo (SR 1948-NL 2000), is based on a title from his prose: ‘Koewatra djodjo’ / ‘In the spirit of my culture’ (1979).
The title ‘In the spirit of my culture’, cut off from the original ‘personal’ context and story, becomes a statement by everyone and for everyone in the public artwork – about everyone’s ‘roots’ and culture.
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Photo
‘In the spirit of my culture’, column, 80cm x 80cm x 40cm.
Biography
Edgar Cairo (SR 1948-NL 2000) was a Surinamese/Dutch poet, author and visual artist.
In 1969, Edgar Cairo published ‘Temekoe’ (‘Kopzorg’), the first novella written entirely in the Surinamese language, Sranan-tongo. (01)
Edgar Cairo lived in the Oosterpark neighbourhood at Vrolikstraat 417, where a placard honouring him was put up in 2010.
Artwork: You Are Here
Artist: Martijn Sandberg
Material: concrete
Measurements: (lxwxh) 80cm x 80cm x 40cm
Project: Legacy of the Twentieth Century
Realisation and completion: 2019
Location: Oranje Vrijstaatkade, Oostpoort, Amsterdam
Commissioned by: Amsterdam Municipality, District Oost