My series Herinneringen aan Zwarte Piet (Recollections of Black Pete) (2014-2023) is part of the exhibition Nederland, word beter! (the Netherlands, be better!).

An exhibition by the Amsterdam Museum and the foundation Nederland Wordt Beter, hosted by Beautiful Distress, NDSM Amsterdam.

“Between 2014 en 2023, photographer Maarten Tromp (1980) photographed the sinterklaas events. As a white photographer, Tromp could document the many forms of black pete. He shot his photographs on black and white negatives and made portraits against a black background. This is a reference to ethnographic documentation of people from outside of Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries. The pictures place black pete in the past tense. Yet exactly how far in the past is not immediately apparent. The photos put viewers face to face with individuals who dress up as black pete, an invitation to reflect on when ignorance becomes intentional racism.”:
 

Recollections of Black Pete (2014-2023)

My film Beursplein (2014) as part of a multi-screen installation. I shot this film in Amsterdam at one of the first demonstrations of Kick Out Zwarte Piet.

Photos by Françoise Bolechowski

amsterdammuseum.nl/tentoonstelling/nederland-word-beter/238143

01.11.2025