Charmaine de Heij

My work delves into four distinct, yet interconnected visual projects, each investigating colonialism. Rejecting the notion of a singular approach, I choose four methods for discussing the complexity and diverse dimensions through which colonialism reverberates. Through my visual works I give awareness to (hi)stories that are often overlooked, and through them, I explore new ways of understanding colonial histories. The projects are tools for decolonization, they challenge dominant perspectives and they are providing methods for understanding the complex history and legacies of colonialism.

‘The Anthropology of Colonial Echoes’ exposes the enduring impact of colonial ideologies in anthropology and photography.
‘Af’Sensi’ captures the colonization of Suriname and its lasting legacies through still-life photography. 
‘ABCOLONIALISMDEFG' is an educational alphabet card set, featuring portraits and interviews of formerly enslaved individuals.
Lastly, in 'Reclaiming the Canvas,' I confront society's power dynamics, shedding light on marginalized experiences through a new narrative for a historical traditional painting. 

As a person of color, I find it crucial to represent our experiences, in visual representations. In my creations, I also aim to be a representation of my cultural heritage, being from a Surinamese and Dutch background. I want to create an understanding of this heritage and I am a storyteller of my historical narratives. A photography-based approach is the core of my artistic practice. I stage photographs, but I also often use archives as a foundation. I give a new meaning, to the historical material I find in archives. This is a method applied as a way of decolonizing the archives. The values and approaches I explore in my artistic practice can be seen my graduation projects.