About

My life, in pieces.

A chronological account of a six-decade practice from primary school drawings through mural painting and exile to the present-day studio work.

1960s

It Started Early

My passion for drawing began in primary school. Largely self-taught, I developed a personal visual language at an early age. By sixteen, I co-founded an advertising painting company with a friend, creating large-scale murals for brands such as Coca-Cola and Fernandes on stations, stadiums, and shop façades.

Our work extended even to a DC-8 aircraft, where we airsprayed logos onto the wings and executed fine typographic details, an exceptional scale and precision for such a young age. In 1964, I studied under Nola Hatterman and later attended the NIKK.

1975

Turning Toward Art

In my twenties, my focus shifted more consciously toward painting and the arts. In 1975, I held my first exhibition at sociëteit Het Park, followed by presentations at Cas di Cultura in Aruba and Gallery Libertas in Curaçao.

1979

The São Paulo Biennial

In 1979, I was selected to represent Suriname at the São Paulo Biennial, where two conceptual works were chosen, one by Jules Chin A Foeng and one of my own.

My project, a large-scale immersive installation (1.5 × 5 × 2 meters), addressed deforestation, toxic pollution, and CO₂ emissions. Conceived as a critical and almost prophetic reflection on ecological destruction, it carried the deliberately ironic message:

“Merry Christmas 2015.”

From the São Paulo Biennial installation, 1979

Due to personal circumstances, I was unable to attend, and Edward Morroy (architect) was asked to represent me. The work was subsequently lost and never exhibited; the circumstances remain unclear, and to this day no accountability has been provided.

1978 – 1981

Representation

In 1978, I represented Suriname in a disarmament poster competition organized by UNESCO, for which I received a letter of appreciation from Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim.

Alongside this, I worked on numerous projects, including illustrating poetry collections and designing record covers.

I collaborated with writers on a photo book about Carifesta in Barbados and, in 1981, contributed to a project by SLM (Surinam Airways) as part of the Diaspora initiative, aimed at attracting African American visitors to Suriname, an effort later halted due to political circumstances.

1982

A Forced Departure

Following the December Murders, I left Suriname in 1982 due to safety concerns, as I was working for newspapers at the time.

1984 – 2014

A New Chapter

In the Netherlands, I entered a new phase, opening café-restaurant De Oude Mol in 1984 and later establishing a company dedicated to the design of children’s furniture. Alongside this, I developed conceptual design projects, including Max & Dax, created under ADAD Productions.

These characters were part of a children’s toy concept in which play, imagination, and storytelling were integrated with the development of motor skills.

The project was presented at international toy fairs in Munich, Nuremberg, and Guangzhou, including the Spielwarenmesse. In Munich, Max & Dax were nominated for an Innovation Award, recognizing the originality and conceptual clarity of the design.

Documentation of this nomination is held in personal archives.

2014 – present

Return to Practice

After 2014, I returned to my artistic practice with renewed focus, continuing my work as a visual artist.

Get in touch

contact@bker.eu

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