Come Closer: Archive Session - patricia kaersenhout, Hella Matroos and Jean Jacques Vrij

Many thousands of people were buried in the Oude Kerk over the course of hundreds of years. One of them was Jacob Matroos Beeldsnijder. As far as we know, he is the only person of colour buried in the Oude Kerk whose own gravestone can still be seen. Who was this young man, born in Paramaribo in 1779 and buried in Amsterdam in 1817? On 27 September, the anniversary of Jacob's death, we dwelled on his past with the programme 'a blueprint of forgotten souls', a collaboration with artist Patricia kaersenhout, descendant Hella Matroos, and historian Jean Jacques Vrij who shared Jacob's story from their own perspectives - both factual historical and speculative - at various locations in the Oude Kerk.

Jacob Matroos Beeldsnijder is also an ancestor of artist patricia kaersenhout, whose work focuses on 'forgotten history' with an eye on racism, the history of slavery and feminism. Although little is known about Jacob, he speaks enormously to her imagination; what would he have felt, walking the streets of Amsterdam at the time? Together with her cousin Hella Matroos and other family members, she has spent years researching Jacob and relatives. Historian Jean Jacques Vrij specialises in the social history of Suriname and serves, among other things, as a board member of the Foundation for Surinamese Genealogy.

The programme began with an introduction by curator Radna Rumping in the Sebastian Chapel, followed by Jean Jacques Vrij's story at the Baptistery, Patricia kaersenhout's story in the High Choir and finally Hella Matroos' recitation in the St George's Chapel. In between, the audience strolled around the various locations. The programme ended with a communal ritual at the grave of Jacob Matroos where first his family members were invited to light candles and then the entire audience joined the grave.