Playa di Pueblo, Sombra pa Nos

Travis Geertruida received a grant for the development of new work. Playa di Pueblo, Sombra pa Nos (Designs We Inherit) is an interdisciplinary art project that responds to recent government redevelopment plans for several beaches on Curaçao. These proposals have met resistance from local communities, who fear the disappearance of the island’s cultural identity and the everyday rituals tied to these natural public spaces. Drawing from his background in both architectural engineering and visual art, Travis seeks to explore what “development” might look like when approached with care, observation, and spiritual reverence rather than tourism-driven modernisation.

Travis is an artist based in The Hague. In 2021, he graduated from HKU with a BA in Fine Art. His work emerges from long-term research trajectories and brings together multiple interdisciplinary forms. Both individually and as part of installations, his works often incorporate symbols and structures of clear cultural significance, allowing him to question and reflect on their meaning for himself and others.