Design for a Statue of Anton de Kom
Suriname became independent on 25 November 1975, 40 years ago now. With his book We Slaves of Suriname, Anton de Kom (1898-1945) fought Dutch colonialism. His verse ‘I will fight!’ was the inspiration for a bronze monument in Amsterdam’s Zuidoost district, of which this is the design. The statue’s nude portrayal of De Kom encountered fierce resistance when it was unveiled. Is the controversy surrounding this sculpture characteristic of the relationship between the Netherlands and Suriname?