In 2021, the Museum Prinsenhof Delft launched the four-year participation project The Delft Perspective. With this project, the museum aims to strengthen its relationship with the city and its residents by connecting the museum’s collection, the story of William the Silent, and the history of the city to topical social themes such as women, security and freedom. On the basis of these themes, new activity programmes and events are being developed in collaboration with people and organizations active in the city’s communities, and with other people of Delft. These will express a diversity of voices and benefit our city.
During the first year, the theme ‘Historical Women’ provided a stage for new women’s perspectives. In 2022, the theme ‘Safety’ takes centre stage. Exactly 450 years ago, William the Silent fled to Delft, in search of a safe haven. What does security mean to New Residents of Delft (including refugees and immigrants), descendants of colinialism in the Caribbean, Delft students and youths from the social and cultural centre CANIDREAM? We have opened a dialogue with these communities, and listen to their personal experiences, views and stories. Based on these, artist Hozan Zangana will make a series of artworks in the Waalse Kerk and at several places in the city. In this way, today’s Delft will also be given a place in the historical museum.
Outdoor exhibition
This year, too, the museum will literally step outside the walls of Prinsenhof with an exhibition on the Oude Delft. Here, stories of the participants in The Delft Perspective will come together with the objects they selected from the storage area of the museum and the history of Delft.
Take-overs
Each community will take over the Van der Mandele Hall for an evening of fun, meeting new people and activities of their own choice! On 1 December, New Residents of Delft Daryna and Jason will be the first to take over the museum. Their take-over will be about empowering women; the value of inner strength through outward self-confidence, starting from various international traditions.