Dec 5, 2010

the quarantaine hospital


One big dream I have, is to have a cultural art platform on Curacao.
I already have chosen the location, the building.
I already know what should happen in this platform.

The building however, used to be an old hospital built in the 18th century, an old ruin from colonial times.
The history is that sailors came there to restore to health. But a lot of them died anyway. They were infested with the typical diseases sailors used to get back in those days.
The building also had people from Africa there to restore their strength from the most horrible trip ever: the crossing of the Atlantic ocean in those horrible slave-ships.
The people that did survive the crossing over, are real survivors. The survive-gene runs in all their descendants today. They came to this building to regain strength before they got sold. The slave trade was dominated by Jewish salesmen.
Thirdly the hospital was also for lepers. And so this was a very contagious deadly disease, or so people thought back in those days. This is what kept people away from this building for decades: disease and death. And over all: the spirits of the deceased that are hunting the building.

I know that a lot of Dutch people are interested in this building. To make it a restaurant or hotel. None of them got it so far. This is why: it's from the island, it belongs to the government and the people.
And that's how it should stay.
The Dutch who fell in love with this building, just like I did, all seek for themselves, their intentions in the direction of what they can GET from this building: i like the building and see myself owning it and making a living with a restaurant or hotel.
It's a nice thought, but it doesn't GIVE or add anything to the people of the island. We already have hotels and restaurants, even way too many.
We should have more buildings that are public to everyone. For everyone to be part of, to participate in, to use and live in. For people to explore new thoughts and feelings within themselves. Free access, like a public library. To learn in, to create in, to explore with, to develop. Art and culture. A platform.
This building. This area.

Write them down

Then the LORD replied:

“Write down the revelation
and make it plain on tablets
so that a herald[b] may run with it.
3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
it speaks of the end
and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it;
it[c] will certainly come
and will not delay.