Summary resumé with a few highlights:
Tirzo Martha (Curacao, 16-06-1965)
www.tirzomartha.com
tirzo@tirzomartha.com

When you can not describe it with a pen, imagination will not only visualize it for you but it will also make it possible for you to grasp it.
Tirzo Martha

Tirzo Martha (Curaçao, 1965) is a versatile artist. In addition to installations, he makes sculptures and videos, and regularly performs as a performance artist. Tirzo Martha’s urge and necessity to create art has its origin not in his ability to be creative but in his humanitarian and social engagement. Although his presentations can vary greatly in appearance, his social involvement and the way in which he knows how to involve his audience directly or indirectly in the creative process of making are the common thread in his works. His work goes deeper under the surface of what we see of the everyday life. He’s in search of the deeper values, a nobler sense of reality.
The titles of the installations are surprising, sometimes cryptic, and at first sight show little coherence. Sometimes they resemble an objective description or a sober observation, in other cases they refer to his native island of Curaçao, but usually they float in a no man’s land somewhere between dream, reality and fantasy.
His work is an accumulation of objects. Most of the objects in his arsenal come from the construction world or from our daily lives, such as concrete blocks, corrugated iron, wood, grout tubs and reinforcement baskets. In addition, some of his most loved objects also return: car tires, tins, buckets, cages, lamps, straps, chairs and toilet bowls. Together they form monumental constellations that invite the visitor to enter closer and to critical reflection.
His voice is familiar but still has an unknown sound. Interpreting Martha’s work is a perilous undertaking. He often refers to themes related to the functioning of our current society, which means that the work has several constants. However, his work is not open to one explanation. He uses elements from his native island of Curaçao, but is not an artist from Curaçao. His imagery is universal and his “message” is not pedantic. Everyone will have to give it their own twist, depending on his or her standards and values.

Education
Akademia di Arte Korsou (1983-1986)
Hoge School Voor de Kunsten Utrecht (1986-1989)
Molenaar Fashion School (1989-1991)

Solo exhibitions
2024
Intensive Care, van Bommel van Dam Museum, Venlo, The Netherlands
2023
Zitten, Zat, Gezeten, Nu Ga Ik Zwemmen! Museum Beelden Aan Zee, The Hague, The Netherlands
2023
Zitten, Zat, Gezeten, Nu Ga Ik Staan! The Hague, The Netherlands
2022
Chronisch Monochroom, Museo di Kòrsou, Curacao
2020
Het Huis Dat Nooit Af Is, CODA Museum, Apeldoorn, The Netherlands
2020
Paris Fashion Week
2017
‘Tirzo Martha, No Excuses’, Museum Beelden Aan Zee, The Hague, The Netherlands
2011
Afro-Victimize, The Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, Miami
2010
San Juan San Pedro, Centre For Contemporary Art, Dordrecht, The Netherlands

Group Exhibitions
2023
Biennial Sesc_Videobrasil, Sāo Paulo, Brasil
2023
Ted Noten & co. – over waarde, Museum Jan, The Netherlands
2023
“Ssst-erfelijkheid of Diversity”, duo exhibition with David Bade, Kersgallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2023
All You Can Art, Kunsthal Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2023
ArtZuid, Sculpture Biennial Amsterdam
2023
Frieda Hunziker, Een vlucht naar Curaçao. Stedelijk Museum Schiedam, The Netherlands
2022
The Oceans and The Interpreters, Hong-Gah Museum Taiwan
2022
Hybrid cultures, duo exhibition with André Kruysen, Hybrid Culture, Amsterdam
2022
All You Can Art, Kunsthal Rotterdam
2022
Verborgen Noord-Holland, Paviljoen Welgelegen, Haarlem, The Netherlands
2022
Caribbean Transitions, The Katzen Museum, Washington DC, USA
2022
Art Rotterdam, with Kersgallery, The Netherlands
2021
Richard Waar?, Pictura, The Netherlands
2021
ArtZuid, Sculpture Biennial Amsterdam, Amsterdam
2021
Kersgallery, The Healers, duo exhibition together with David Bade, Amsterdam
2021
All You Can Art, Kunsthal Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2021
Look At Me Now, project/exhibition by IBB under supervision of Tirzo Martha and David Bade, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
2020
Refresh, Amsterdam Museum, The Netherlands
2020
Eigen + Beeld, Museum Beelden Aan Zee, The Hague, The Netherlands
2020
All You Can Art, Kunsthal Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2019
All You Can Art, Kunsthal Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2019
Plateau Kunst 2019, The Netherlands
2018
Mammon, Museum of Fine Arts Split, Croatia
2018
LekArt, The Netherlands
2018
All You Can Art, Kunsthal Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2018
Camionetjes Opgraven; duo exhibition together with David Bade, C-Mine, Belgium
2017
Biennial of Moscow as duo with David Bade
2017
Black Rebels, V2 Rotterdam, collaboration with IFFR, The Netherlands
2016
All You Can Art, David Bade & Tirzo Martha, Kunsthal Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2015
Open, Museum De Fundatie, Zwolle, The Netherlands
2015
Biennial of Havana together with David Bade, Havana, Cuba
2013
Tropisch Koninkrijk, Museum De Fundatie, Zwolle, Netherlands
2013
Zwart & Wit, Tropen Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2013
Miradas Insobornables, Centro de Arte Contemporaneo MUNTREF, Argentina
2013
Biennial Bienal Del Sur, Panama
2012
Caribbean Crossroads of the World, Queens Museum of Art, New York
2012
Who More Sci-Fi Than Us, Kunsthal Kade, Amersfoort
2011
Biennial 6a Bienal de Curitiba, Curitiba, Brazil
2011
The Global Contemporary. Art Worlds After 1989, Museum Contemporary Arts ZKM, Karlsruhe, Germany
2011
Biennial 16th Bienal de Cerveira, Cerveira, Portugal
2011
Adios Holanda, WhiteBox, Munich
2010
Vous êtes ici, Habitation Clément, Martinique
2010
1st International Triennial of the Caribbean, Museo Arte Moderno, Rep. Dominicana
2009
Biennial Biennial of La Habana, Habana Cuba
2008
Caribe Synthesis, Museo de Arte Moderno, Rep. Dominicana
2007
Dealing with reality, Museum of Modern Art Arnhem, The Netherlands
2007
Infinite Island, Brooklyn Museum, New York
2007
Caribbean Crosscurrents, Art Miami, Miami

Awards
2019
Werkbijdrage bewezen Talent, stipend by Mondriaan Fund, The Netherlands
2019
Wilhelminaring Award, award for oeuvre in sculpture, the Netherlands
2018
Solo exhibition Tirzo Martha, No Excuses! in 2017 nominated for exhibition of the year in the Netherlands
2017
Proclaimed Dutch Master for visual arts, The Netherlands
2018
Monograph ‘Tirzo Martha, I wonder if they’ll laugh when I’m dead receives price The Best Dutch Book Designs 2017
2010
Special guest artist 1st Triennial of the Caribbean, Museo Arte Moderno, Dominican Republic
2010
Nominated for the International Fritschy Prize, Museum Het Domein, The Netherlands
2009
Cola Debrot Prize for culture; highest cultural prize by the Government of Curacao
2009
Stipend granted by The Netherlands Mondriaan Foundation for Visual Arts, Design and Architecture
2003
The Reed Foundation Award, New York

Guest Lecturer/teacher and advisor:
In the past 30 years, Tirzo Martha has frequently been asked to share his knowledge and experience as a visual artist with the students of prestigious art academies and post graduated institutions.
So he has taught at the Sandberg Institute in Amsterdam, the master degree department of Art History at the University of Leiden, the master degree department of Bordeaux Montaigne University in France, University of Lisbon art history department, KABK art academy the Hague, HKU art academy Utrecht, University of Curacao, just to mention a few.
He has also been member of various commissions as an adviser (to mention a few):
– Advisor commission Mondriaan Fund (2019-2023)
– Commission Beeldspoor Theater Rotterdam
– Commission Fonds Kwadraat

The Instituto Buena Bista
In 2006 Tirzo Martha together with the artist David Bade founded the Instituto Buena Bista Curacao Centre for Contemporary (IBB)on the island of Curaçao. This institute, situated on the terrain of a psychiatric clinic, provides a platform for art education and contemporary art that simultaneously stimulates awareness and enrichment of the local art and cultural heritage. At the same time the institute introduces new cultural and art developments from around the world to the island.
The Institute’s core activities consists out of a visual arts orientation course for talented local youngsters between the ages of 15 and 25, and assigning them to an art academy overseas for a follow-up course in the fine or applied arts. The IBB ensures that the students receive close supervision and guidance overseas, but also motivates them to return to Curaçao after finishing their studies. After all, the Institute believes that creative talent, a new mentality and an academic background are necessary to break with the colonial past of the island and build a new society with a new mentality. The educational structure is supported by 4 artist in residency programs. Here the artists in residency can come to the island and they live, work and teach for a period of time at the IBB. So this way the student have a diverse input of knowledge and insight from the different artist practice.
Since 2016, IBB and Kunsthal Rotterdam have started a structural collaboration under the name of AYCA, All You Can Art. The vision of IBB on art, education, social engagement and participation is translated into projects in Rotterdam and the Netherlands.