Unique 35-meter-long wall hanging can be viewed for free during the spring break
Starting Friday, February 13, the South Holland tapestry “Threads of Our Dutch Slavery Past” will be on display in the Grote Kerk in The Hague. For the first time, the monumental artwork—35 meters long and 2.5 meters high—can be seen in its entirety. The tapestry depicts South Holland’s colonial slavery past and was created thanks to the intensive collaboration of hundreds of volunteers from across the province.
Made for and by residents
Since February 2025, residents of The Hague, Delft, Dordrecht, Gouda, Leiden, and Rotterdam have been collaborating on the tapestry. With and without experience in textile techniques such as embroidery, quilting, punching, tufting, and felting, they have jointly shaped the provincial narrative of the colonial slavery past.
Remembrance of a painful past
The design is by textile artist Marcos Kueh (Sarawak, 1995). Inspired by the visual language of stained glass windows, the tapestry depicts how deeply South Holland is intertwined with the economics and politics of colonial slavery. The artwork commemorates a painful past while simultaneously inviting reflection and connection. After the exhibition in the Grote Kerk in The Hague, the tapestry will travel throughout the province of South Holland.
Traces of the slavery past in the Grote Kerk
Folkert Blaauw, director of the Grote Kerk in The Hague: “The Grote Kerk carries with it centuries of history, including traces of its colonial and slavery past. For a long time, this has received little attention, and these stories have remained underexposed. This calls for self-reflection. By displaying this tapestry here, we acknowledge this blind spot and connect the larger history of slavery with this place. In our tours, we now explicitly highlight this history, which has remained undiscussed for far too long.”
The Villa Maecenatis Foundation is the organizer and lead author of the project “Threads of our Dutch Slavery Past.”
Practical information
Exhibition dates: Friday, February 13 to Sunday, February 22, 2026
Opening hours: daily from 12 noon to 4 pm
Entrance: free
Location: Grote or Sint-Jacobskerk, The Hague
Partners
Afimo, The Hague Library, Canidream, Committee 30 June – 1 July The Hague, Committee 30 June – 1 July Leiden, Cultural and Educational Centre Dordrecht, Cultuurhuis Delft, DelftsPeil, De Nieuwe Regentes, Dijkxhoorn Construction Group, Heritage House South Holland, Dream and Deed, Kunstmuseum The Hague, Mauritshuis, Museum De Lakenhal, NEST, Museum Prinsenhof Delft, Old and New Church Delft, PEP The Hague, ROC Mondriaan, Foundation Shared Past Common Future, Foundation Grote of Sint-Jacobskerk, Stroom The Hague, Leiden University, Urban Chicks With Brains, Wereldmuseum Leiden
Made possible by financial support from
Fund 1818, Fund 21, Fund for Cultural Participation, Municipality of The Hague, Municipality of Delft, Friends Lottery Fund, VSB Fund, the Culture Fund