News

Dear friends of the Cathedral of Thorns,

Join us for the Cathedral of Thorns by Night Friday 5th of November.

Get ready for an amazing group of young and talented artists from Curaçao. Enjoy an evening with music, poetry and other performances during the Cathedral of Thorns by Night.

Whilst wandering through the labyrinth of the cathedral, this talented group will accompany your experience with a musical session.

Give it up for: Duo “Diruvi”, Vesuhely Americaan, Ralph Windt, Joshua Mitchell, Jayden, Melanta Ayon. Royston Hato and Chris Lopez aka CJ Opus

Entrance ANG 35.00 / US$ 20

Doors open for tickets : November 5, from 7 pm Santa Rosaweg #10 (Restaurant Number TEN)

Exhibition and tour are from 7.30 pm till 9 pm

The Cathedral of Thorns by Night, has been made possible by Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds Caribisch Gebied.

Please R S V P / limited seating

Email: thecathedralofthorns@gmail.com
Whats App: + 59995266349

Last Friday, August 6^th, was the first edition of the Cathedral of Thorns by Night. With its 175 visitors, the first edition was an overwhelming success. Each first Friday of the month the cathedral will be fully lit and Herman van Bergen, artist, and mastermind behind the cathedral, gives guided tours and answers questions from visitors. During the screening of the movie, the creation of the cathedral and the building process are explained in more detail.

“Every piece of art that I create revolves around communication. The Cathedral of Thorns is a direct response to the current state of affairs in the world. It is about pollution, terror, injustice, and human actions on the earth; destructive in past and present. The cathedral is a protest against destruction, injustice and inhumanity. The part year was, as a result of Corona, a difficult period for us. It was hard enough to make me think that we had to break down the cathedral, the situation seemed hopeless. The enthusiasm of Friday evening and the enthusiastic reactions from the public make us feel hopeful again. I wish to completely finish the cathedral in the near future with help of our community and sponsors. There are certain pieces that still have to be finished and it would be perfect to do so soon. We want to give the younger generation an opportunity with our project. We are working on putting together a learning trajectory in which we give local young people the opportunity to learn about art, building processes and the nature of the island”. Says Herman van Bergen.

The Cathedral of Thorns by Night will take place every first Friday of the month. Every month, an exciting show or exhibition will take place from local artists for visitors to enjoy. These nights will become the art and culture evenings of Curaçao with the Cathedral of Thorns as the binding factor.

For more information, please check the website www.cathedralofthorns.com and stay informed on our Facebook page for monthly updates

The Cathedral of Thorns by Herman van Bergen will from now on be open to visitors every first Friday of the month from 19.00hr. Cathedral of Thorns by night is an unique evening in which the cathedral is fully lit and guided tours by the artist himself take place. Herman van Bergen has won the CODAaward 2020 in the landscape category with his Cathedral of Thorns. The CODAawards is an annual international prize for project that best integrate commissioned art into interiors, architecture or public spaces. This piece of art unifies all the themes of Van Bergen’s earlier thorn sculptures into one project: a building to honor Mother Nature and the Free Spirit that brings about change through creativity.

“During these evenings, both local and tourists can take a look at the cathedral which is completely made up of thorns. For the occasion, the cathedral is beautifully lit and the artist himself, Herman van Bergen, gives a guided tour. Every visitor will have the opportunity to meet Herman personally and ask him questions about the cathedral and its creation. It is also the best time to take beautiful pictures of the cathedral. The beauty of the cathedral is captured by the use of lighting, creating a magical effect. The Zumpiña shop will also be open on this evening. The shop is the perfect place to buy an unique gift or a beautiful piece of art for your home or office” Says Daisy Casimiric.

The first evening will take place on Friday 6^th of August and the ticket sale will start at 19.00hr. The performance and tour will take place from 19.30hr to 21.00hr. entry for locals with sedula is Nafl. 25,- and US$25,- for tourists.

Presale tickets are available at The Zumpiña Shop (on the premises of Landhuis Bloemhof) & at Landhuis Bloemhof during the day (9 am – 12 pm) or at fundashondiartista@gmail.com / app: +59995266349

Ticket sale at the door: August 6, at The Zumpiña Shop from 7 pm.

Entrance August 6, from 7 pm. Santa Rosaweg #10 (Number TEN)

The Cathedral of Thorns introduces… Frouwkje Smit:

Santu Kabritu di spiritu di sumpiña
De heilige geit van de geest van de doornen
The Holy goat of the spiritual from the thorns

Santu Kabritu di spiritu di sumpiña is an ode to the goat. The goat eats the leaves from the branches of the wabi, a work that is almost impossible for man to do. Doing so, the goat helps to realize the Cathedral of Thorns. The artist, nature and the animal work together and are connected with each other.

In many cultures the goat is a sacrificial animal and represents fertility, vitality and a strong connection with the force of life. In ancient Greek religion, Pan, the Greek god is depicted as half man half goat, and by the Christian as the devil.

The color blue stands for holy and is found in various religions such as the holy virgin Mary and the evil eye. The color blue also refers to the pigment of the indigo plant, which was shipped from Curaçao to the Netherlands as an export product during colonial times. It was the most sought after color and stands for royalty. The golden crown of thorns with cotton represents sharpness and tenderness

The goat is the main thread and symbolizes the power behind the Cathedral of Thorns masterpiece.

Visual artist Frouwkje Smit, April, 2021