Sranan Tron 50

Sranan Tron 50
Mi Nanga Mi Mati Tori
Overdo Berghout, Kishan Graanoogst, Giovanni Jona, Zoë Kasan, Jaasir Linger, Leila Nelson, Farah Rahman en Claudio Swedo

Exhibition
25.11.2025 — 04.01.2026
Location
West Den Haag in the former American Embassy, Lange Voorhout 102, The Hague

On 25 November 2025, it will be fifty years since Suriname became independent. Fifty years of Srefidensi mark a long and complex history between Suriname and the Netherlands, shaped by colonisation, migration, and cultural exchange. To this day, strong ties exist between the two countries. The Dutch language, shared heritage, and many family connections play an important role in this relationship.

‘Sranan Tron 50, Mi Nanga Mi Mati Tori’ (Suriname turns 50, my friends and I tell our stories) is an exhibition that places specific focus on young contemporary art. The presentation offers a concise yet wide-ranging overview of the practices of emerging and recently graduated artists with roots in Suriname. Their work shows how different generations view independence and how contemporary artists shape ideas of future, identity, and heritage.

From Suriname, Zoë Kasan and Leila Nelson present recent work. Kasan, who graduated from the Nola Hatterman Academy at the age of eighteen, works from a deeply personal engagement. Nelson, who studies in Rotterdam and also received training in Suriname, highlights in her work the continuity of young Surinamese makers and the importance of art education in Paramaribo. In addition, works by Giovanni Jona, Overdo Berghout, and Claudio Swedo—who all work from Suriname—are on view. Jona focuses on portraiture, Berghout explores a wide range of techniques and subjects, and Swedo is known for his rapid live portraits, murals, and sculptures. Together, their works illustrate the diversity of Suriname’s artistic landscape.

Two artists based in the Netherlands also present recent work directly connected to Surinamese culture. In Symphony of Spores, Farah Rahman explores the relationship between humans, landscape, and knowledge of plants and fungi. Jaasir Linger’s films, sculptures, and installations focus on the Afro-Surinamese Winti tradition and contribute to the visibility of a religion that was suppressed for a long time.

In the work of Kishan Graanoogst, ecology, spirituality, and social engagement come together. His approach invites reflection on what independence means today and what kinds of future visions accompany it.

The exhibition is curated by Jessy Rahman, Suriname coordinator at West, who brought these artists together to present different perspectives on fifty years of independence. West has a structural focus on international exchange and will devote additional attention in the coming years to art from Suriname and the Surinamese community in The Hague.