“Ingi op’a liba” (2025, Sign Gallery Groningen)
Installation View – “Ingi op’a liba” – Sign Gallery Groningen
Materials:
Steel, ‘Pembadoti’ (kaolin clay), Reckitt’s Crown Blue bluing tablets, rattan, “Fernandes Cherry Red-epoxy resin, Surinamese wooden native figure, ‘Redi Pina Ede Watra Ingi’-pangi (fabric), ‘krabasi’ (gourd) , ‘Agio Gouden Oogst’ cigar, ‘pamoni’ (cowrie shell), red candle in copper-colored brass chandelier on white dish, Fernandes Cherry Bouquet soft drink.
(Size rectangular top part: ‘195cm wide x 114cm high‘)
The art installation ‘Ingi op’a liba’ (Surinamese Sranantongo for: The indigenous winti opens the river) is a tribute to the Surinamese ‘Ingi winti’ and consists of materials that are used in rituals in the traditional Afro-Surinamese Winti religion. For example, the white ‘pembadoti’ (kaolin) is a material that is used in almost every Winti ritual. Winti spirituality and culture are central to Linger’s artistic practice and life, and all of his artworks contain elements and symbolism from Winti.
Winti originated during the transatlantic slavery on the plantations of the former Dutch colony of Suriname, where West African enslaved people (Linger’s ancestors) were forced to work under miserable conditions. Until 1971, the Dutch colonial government had banned Winti by law and labeled it as idolatry. In addition, Winti followers were stigmatized by the church as devil worshippers. 54 years ago, Linger would have had to go to prison for his artworks. Through his art, Linger tries to bring Winti into the world in a positive way, as a counterbalance to the still existing negative image of Winti created by the former Dutch colonial government and Christian church. With his art, Linger tries to contribute to the preservation, knowledge transfer and rehabilitation of the Winti heritage.