Influencer Josée Thissen-Rojer from Curaçao Art
Interview March 2024
Unlocking the world of Art in Curaçao
The visual arts must be seen.
My Family
I come from a large family of 8 siblings and am the only one still living in Curaçao. I have two sisters living in Bonaire; one is a psychologist, and the other is a teacher and a tutor coach. I have four siblings living in Holland; one works for an oil and gas company. My eldest brother is a consultant in food safety. My other brother in Holland has studied political sciences and is a homemaker and organizer of the ‘Dialogue table’. My eldest sister is a retired psychologist. My youngest sibling worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Netherlands for years. She lived in Brussels and Rome. Afterward, she settled down in Canada, British Columbia. I have a Master’s Degree in Art History. I have been married for 25 years now, and we have two daughters; one is studying psychology, and the other is studying communication.
My Parents
My parents were both strict and very loving. They always supported us in whatever we chose to study. They advised us to pursue our passion rather than chase money. Friends were always welcome at our home to study or hang out. That was the kind of parents they were, and we had a relaxed childhood.
My father always wanted us to live “a good life”, meaning we must do good for others and be kind and considerate. In hindsight, I have become aware of the courage he showed to study in Holland in 1969 while the family already had 6 children. He did it because he believed it was the best decision to make. He has demonstrated this trait consistently throughout his life, particularly when faced with important decisions. My parents had a great marriage, and they were a perfect match.
My mom is from Otrobanda
My mother was born in Otrobanda. As a child, she lived in a neighborhood called ‘Vivir Contentu’, which no longer exists. It was demolished to make way for the viaduct to the Queen Juliana Bridge. At the time when she was engaged to my father, her family was living at ‘Kas di Kanchi’ in Frederikstraat. Her father worked for C.P.I.M., the Refinery.
“My grandfather A.B. Els worked at C.P.I.M. I never knew him and this is one of the few photo’s I have of him. He was called Wawa by everyone, and I know that he was a kind and considerate man. My mother loved and adored him.”
My mother used to work at Penha in Punda. She loved languages, especially English and Spanish. Working at Penha offered her the opportunity to interact with tourists and use her language skills. She worked until she got married.
My father is from Kobèrde
My father, Mr. Julio Rojer (1923-2012), came from Cabo Verde in Sta. Maria, popularly called ‘Kobèrde’. His family, for generations back, owned this property.* He was among the first ones to graduate from the MULO. In the 1950s, he went to Holland to study. After he married my mother, he became the District head at Dokterstuin. In 1969, we went to Holland because my father had obtained a study assignment. We left in July, before the start of the academic year.
* More of the family and Kobèrde can be read in the interview with Josée’s cousin Jeannette Juliet Pablo.
He was a founder of ‘Credit Union’
After my father graduated in Law, we returned to Curaçao. My father worked five years for the government as a legal advisor under the head of the legal department, Mr. Boeli van Leeuwen (1922-2007).
Thereafter, my father started his law firm. When he was almost 60, the courts asked him if he would consider becoming a judge, but at the time, judges were obliged to retire at 60. He was, therefore, appointed as a Substitute Judge. He worked as a children’s judge, as an examining magistrate and helped out as a criminal judge; whatever was required, he was willing to give a helping hand.
I remember that he had a heavy workload and at home would be in his office till late. Once, I asked him what he was most proud of in his career. He answered that he was most proud of founding the savings and credit cooperative bank ‘Credit Union’, together with his lifelong friend, Mgr. Dr. Amado Römer (1921-2010).
Could you share something about your educational background and your experience?
After completing High School at Radulphus College, I attended Utrecht University in the Netherlands and studied Art History, specializing in Arts Policy Management, Architecture and Restoration. My parents were incredibly proud when I graduated and put an announcement in the local newspapers in Curaçao; this was picked up by the officials in the monuments sector.
I started working for DROV at the Monumentenbureau in Curaçao. First, as I was already in Holland, I had a placement for 2 months at the Rijksdienst Monumentenzorg in Zeist and the Monumentenbureau Amsterdam. Those days, Mr. Steenbrink was my counselor. He had laid the foundation for appointing Willemstad Curaçao to the UNESCO World Heritage List. This had taken years of preparation, and he stayed involved after he was back in the Netherlands.
After working in Curaçao, I returned to Holland and worked for the Victor de Steursstichting as a monument expert.
Art Curator
In 1997, when I visited the island on a vacation, I met my husband and returned to Curaçao. I have been living here since then. I was freelancing when art historian Jennifer Smit approached me in 1998 to be assistant curator for a large project, ‘Arte ’99… ayera awe i mañan’. Through that project, I rediscovered my passion for the visual arts and pursued a career as an Art Curator.
We came across the website Curaçao Art and we were impressed by the whole website, the number of artists that you are offering a platform, and its actuality. You started, as we noticed from your website, in 2011. Can you expand a little bit on how all of this started?
This has been my life’s work. The site is the first in its genre and it is unique. Only Curaçao has this. How did it all start? I started to work in the visual art sector in 1999 and worked as the art curator for Landhuis Bloemhof till I started freelancing again. In 2010, the visual artists organized an Open Atelier Route. Basically, this means that they open their studios to the public for two whole weekends. Somehow, this started me thinking about founding Curaçao Art.
Founding Curaçao Art
If you have studied Art History, you have studied all the works of great artists like Michelangelo, Rafaël, Rembrandt and Bernini. In Holland, already in those days you had the most beautiful art exhibitions. Attending these, you live in a world where you can see the best of the best in Fine Art.
Living in Curaçao, it is an entirely different scene. You don’t have big-name artists, or their reputation isn’t that vast yet. But you are very close to history in the making, and that is special. I was attending art events and exhibitions; I also organized some of these myself.
I felt that ‘two weekends open studio’ was a very short time to see all of it, while what was presented was of great value.
In those days, my husband had a foundation, Curaçao Sport, with a website with information on all the different sports, the clubs, game schedules, and competition results. He worked with many sponsors, and we thought, why not do the same for the arts? This is how Curacao Art started.
The goal was to unlock the art world of Curaçao. What kind of visual art is there, what is happening, and who are the artists? These goals also became a bridge between the demand and supply of art. There is so much information on it; it is still an ongoing project.
We started with 20 artists and received a grant from Prins Bernhard Cultuur Fonds Caribbean Region. Now, we have 57 artists on this website. We began in 2011, and of late, we modernized the website with a generous sponsorship by Profound Projects. We are very grateful for their continued support.
Is the platform only for visual artists?
It is for visual art, but so much falls in this category. There are all these events and different types of art: painting, sculpture, photography, glass art, graphic art, etching, video art, digital art and so on. The artistic disciplines are extensive, and there are many art events. The interest has been growing, and the art market is constantly expanding
In the beginning, there wasn’t so much growth until 2010. It felt like we were dealing with the same number of artists, but in the past decade, a lot changed. More people have become aware of the arts, and our foundation, Curaçao Art, has contributed to that. Other developments, like the steady presence of Instituto Buena Vista, have had an impact. This has helped local students get access to art academies in Holland. Look also at the Museum and Gallery of Yubi Kirindongo, the sculpture route that habitants of Blue Bay have created, the Cathedral of Thorns by Herman van Bergen, The 7.1 Experience by Giovanni Abath, or the various artistic expressions in Otrobanda, and there are more developments. Overall, there is a growing interest in art and a reevaluation of cultural professions.
Looking back now as we are in 2024, after 13 years what do you consider to be your biggest achievements with this platform?
First of all, it is a tremendous achievement that we still exist. During these 13 years, we built a database where lots of information can be found. There is a lot of content available that can be easily accessible. The website has a great look and feel, and the information collected is of great value. Consider it a Digital Heritage of sorts. Most of what is available on the island is documented on the website.
You can’t say anymore that there are no artists or art on the island; many are on the website, and this has a noticeable effect on Arts Lovers living outside of Curaçao. Especially those interested in more than just the Sun, Sea, and Sand, or those who are also interested in culture. We have contacts with European, Canadian and American collectors looking for artists and artworks. This is of great significance for the island.
What is your BIG WHY or driving motivation?
When I was in Holland, it turned out that I didn’t like my study choice, which was the Portuguese language and literature. I was living in Utrecht and always looking for fun or interesting things to do. The university offered lots of free courses or courses for a small fee; I decided to take a course in art history, and to my surprise, I loved it. I then decided to switch.
I specialized in ‘Art Policy and Management’, Architecture and Restoration while preparing to return to Curaçao. Art triggered lots of things in me. Being in the Arts, was very special to me. When I came back to Curaçao, I noticed what was going on in the world of Art in Curaçao. So, to answer your question, my BIG WHY, as I love Art, is to be valuable in the world of Art and share my passion, like I am doing now with ‘Curaçao Art’ and working as an Art Curator.
What are the challenges that you are dealing with? And how are you dealing with these different challenges you confront?
Raising enough funds to sustain our work is a challenge. Compared to sports, visual art is very different. But we are trying continuously to access sponsors and funds. We have to keep on trying so that we can sustain our work.
Do you use your inner voice to evaluate when dilemmas show up? How does that work for you?
I make use of my creativity and the creativity of those surrounding me. I have a board and other people in my surroundings that help. New ideas come up this way. At a certain moment, you know what to do. I often tell my children to let themselves be guided. I tend to be guided, and then I make a decision.
How are you trying also to keep up with your knowledge and skill levels?
You are taught the necessary skill sets at the university and keep perfecting and deepening them afterward. Every research you do and project you execute teaches you. You constantly challenge yourself, and I always collect data; I visit museums and galleries and observe how they set it up. There are lectures, programs and courses. I am still in contact with former fellow students from the University. There are different routes to improvement; it is an ongoing process. It is a daily activity.
“2021 with David Bade at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Often when Curaçao artists exhibit abroad, and I have the opportunity, I go there to see and inform myself about their work and development.”
What are your strengths?
My curiosity, I always want to understand things on a deeper level. I am easy to access. People often approach me for advice when dealing with issues because I am trustworthy. I sometimes advise people without them asking me for advice. As I deal with lots of people, I collect information. I use and apply this for research purposes for a product that, for me, is interesting.
“During the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, I wrote a series of articles for Amigoe: Artistry in Times of Corona. These were published in Amigoe, and later translated and shared on the Curaçao Art Website. The translations were funded by Prins Bernhard Culture fund. In December 2021, i interviewed artist Jean Girigori, at her shop in Punda.”
Do you have hobbies or interests that you are also passionate about?
Passionate and proud of my family, I love reading books and novels like the books of Isabel Allende, and I like books on personal development. I like Caribbean literature and read books by contemporary local writers like Eric de Brabander, Ronny Lobo en Elodie Heloise.
If you meet a stranger on the bus (let’s say in New York or Medellin Colombia) and they would ask you to introduce yourself, what would you answer?
Hello, my name is Josée. I am an Art Historian and Art Curator. I live in Curaçao with my husband, and we have two adult daughters.
Curaçao has a lively art scene with many internationally renowned artists. We have several galleries and sculpture gardens, and in 2020, one of our artists built a Cathedral of Thorns, where local and international artists can show their work. As an art historian I document everything about the art scene on the website Curaçao Art. This is a unique platform in the international scene, that shows the high level, expertise and diversity of our art community.
How would you describe yourself in one sentence?
Modest, interested in other people. I love observing and try to observe the world without bias or preconceptions. I love writing; if I have experienced something, I will make a story about it. Then, some in my surroundings have to hear me telling this story, at great lengths at times, and this helps shape my thinking.
“In 2015 my yoga teacher Leo Floridas (1938-2018) received an appreciation award from the Indian consulate in Curaçao, on the first World Yoga Day.”
Who are the persons that have inspired you the most in your career/life?
In my life, it is my parents, siblings, husband and yoga teacher Leo Floridas. In my career, it is not so much people who inspired me but people who granted me opportunities to grow and evolve. In 1998, Jennifer Smit, an art historian, offered me a chance to collaborate with her. That was a great introduction to the art world in Curaçao. It introduced me to all the major players in Art in Curacao and elsewhere in the world. After that, I worked with Nicole Henriquez, who let me inventory her mother’s whole art collection. Thereafter, I worked with Michèle Russell at Landhuis Bloemhof as an art curator. Later, Lusette Verboom of Gallery Alma Blou asked me to write a regular art section for the Antilliaanse Nieuwsbrief, published by the Antillen Huis.
What is a trait that is still a work in progress?
I am constantly applying self-reflection and self-evaluation, aimed at improving myself. This could be on a personal level or in my work. My children are sincere towards me; they ask me blunt questions like, “Why are you doing this?” When I do a presentation, I constantly tweak it. Sometimes, I make it funnier, sometimes shorter, or to let it be closer to my authentic self. I am always trying to improve myself. I am also learning how to protect myself by drawing more precise boundaries. That is a work in progress.
What was a defining moment in your life?
There are different defining moments, like my graduation and move to Europe. When I met my husband. When Jennifer Smit asked me to help her with her project, and I became involved in the visual arts. The moment I started a family or our children left for their studies. Some defining moments, you don’t choose them. It happens to you.
What would you want your loved ones, family, friends, and others to say about you let’s say 20 years from now?
I hope that my Loved ones, family, and friends, not only within 20 years from now but right now, would say: “They know that I love them and care very much for them. That they love being around me.”
What makes you stay optimistic about the future of the world?
The new generations. As I look at our children and how they work towards their future, I see that it differs from when I was growing up and their age group. They are consciously thinking and working on their future. They are aware of their impact and the society they want to create. I don’t believe that Gen Z or Millennials don’t want to work hard or are quick to quit their jobs. They are what makes me optimistic about the future.
Is there anything else that you would like to add?
I was born and raised here and returned after my studies and work experience abroad. Curaçao has all the ingredients to be a wealthy and prosperous island. We have so much; why, then, aren’t we prosperous? Doesn’t everybody deserve a job, housing, and a good solid education? I firmly believe that if we work together and properly value each other, we can create the most prosperous Curaçao.
More info & Contact
Drs. Josée Rose Marie Thissen-Rojer
Art historian
josee@curacao-art.com
Curaçao, Dutch Caribbean
(+5999) 6905185
Websites: curacao-art.com and curacaoartconsultancy.com
One of the 250 Influencers
Josée Thissen-Rojer is a dynamic, compassionate and family-centered individual, deeply entrenched in the world of art as an Art historian, curator, and organizer of art exhibitions. Since its inception in 2011, she has spearheaded the development and expansion of the curacao-art.com/ website, serving as a comprehensive platform for local visual artists and their creations. Through meticulous curation and insightful content, the website has evolved into a virtual treasure trove, offering an unparalleled glimpse into Curaçao’s artistic landscape.
Driven by her curiosity, Josee’s passion for lifelong learning drives her to seek out new experiences, from exploring museums and galleries on the one hand, while staying connected with some of her fellow students from her University years way back. Her genuine interest in people and her non-judgmental approach make her a trusted advisor, generously sharing her wealth of information with those who seek her guidance. Her resilience and resourcefulness have been instrumental in sustaining her lifework, as she collaborates with her board and stakeholders to secure vital resources and funding. Beyond her individual achievements, her contributions to the local arts scene have played a pivotal role in elevating Curaçao’s cultural identity and enriching Curaçao’s tourism offerings.For all these reasons, we consider Josee Thissen-Rojer one of the 250 community Influencers representing the sector Art.
Look at the list of the Influencers we have interviewed or reported on, up to now.