Alternative designs for the 'Tribute of the Colonies' panel of the Golden Coach
Until recently, the king rode in the Golden Coach on Prinsjesdag. But the Golden Coach has become a controversial object in the past ten years. Especially the side panel 'Tribute of the Colonies' currently is the subject of criticism. This panel, designed in 1898 by Nicolaas van der Waay, shows how half-naked colonial subjects gratefully place products at the feet of the Dutch Virgin. For many people, this performance is a painful reminder of the colonial past and the time of slavery. Activists and politicians therefore suggested that the panel had to be removed or that the Golden Coach had to be permanently transferred to a museum.
This discussion prompted the Historical Museum of The Hague to ask three visual artists with roots in the former colonies to each design a new, alternative panel for the Golden Coach. The panels by Brian Elstak (1980), Quinsy Gario (1984) and Amber Toorop (1989) shed light on the painful and criminal sides of Dutch colonialism.
On long-term loan from the artist(s).
Brian Elstak, EDUCATION, 2021
Quinsy Gario, Redemption Song (2013) / Burnin’ and Lootin’ (2021)
Amber Toorop, Tribute to the Njai, 2021
Specifications
- Manufacturers: Brian Elstak, Quinsy Gario en Amber Toorop
- Date: 2021