Future Talk: (Re)searching for tomorrow's dialogue

ABOUT BARBARA ESSENBOOM 
Barbara Essenboom was involved as a researcher in the study of the history of slavery in the city of Arnhem, which was carried out by Erfgoed Gelderland. She did this not only through archives but also by engaging in conversations with descendants of formerly enslaved people. Beyond Walls is a collective of independent researchers, curators, and visual storytellers. 

On behalf of the Municipality of Breda, they are conducting research to make 'the threads’ visible that run from national archive collections and the city archive to Breda’s history of slavery. 

Eva Langerak, curator of Art Directions IFFR, moderates the evening. 

ABOUT THE FUTURE TALKS 
Heritage and innovation often go hand in hand. The Great Church of Breda was built over a period of 150 years. The people involved in its construction knew that they would never see the final result themselves. We call this cathedral thinking: building with the future in mind. From that same mindset, we look during our Future Talks. We explore how heritage and innovation come together and examine how the past, present, and future reinforce each other. In this future talk, we investigate how the history of the slavery past continues to influence the now and the future: from the Netherlands, the province, and the city. 

BARBARA ESSENBOOM 
Barbara Essenboom was born in Paramaribo and was involved as a researcher in the study of the history of slavery in the city of Arnhem, which was carried out by Erfgoed Gelderland. The focus of this research was on the history of the slavery past in Arnhem during the colonial period (1600-1900). The traces connect across the globe: from Africa, the Indonesian Archipelago to South and North America. Personal stories of descendants with links to Arnhem also form part of the research. Additionally, she is the initiator of the Comité 30 juni/1 juli Arnhem. 

BEYOND WALL
Beyond Walls is a collective of curators, researchers, artists, and storytellers. In their work, they connect personal stories with colonial history and contemporary issues, with themes such as racism, identity, and belonging at the centre. By collaborating with partners such as the Rijksmuseum and the Tropenmuseum, and also working outside traditional institutions, they contribute to conversations about how the legacy of slavery still influences the present and the future. On behalf of the Municipality of Breda, they are researching the traces of the slavery past in Breda. 

MODERATOR: EVA LANGERAK 
Eva Langerak is a curator, researcher, writer, and creative producer, working as the curator of Art Directions at IFFR. Her work is based on connecting the past and present through images and archives of stories and memories. She focuses on lens-based art and the poetry of everyday life, using an experimental, conceptual approach with attention to the interaction between artworks and the spaces in which they are displayed. Threads of our Dutch slavery history This Future Talk is part of the programming surrounding the exhibition Threads of Our Dutch Slavery History.