NEWSLETTER
Beatrice Glow: When Our Rivers Meet on view at the New-York Historical Society March 29 – August 18, 2024
New York, NY (February 6, 2024)—This March, the New-York Historical Society presents new work by artist-in-residence Beatrice Glow, which draws on her research into the Museum and Library’s vast collections. Beatrice Glow: When Our Rivers Meet reckons with the 400th anniversary of the establishment of the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam in present-day Lower Manhattan, from both local and global perspectives. Working in conversation with a group of nine culture bearers, artists, and scholars whose heritages were impacted by the Dutch colonial enterprise, Glow has created a series of seven parade float maquettes, among additional works, that envision an alternative commemoration of the anniversary.
“Beatrice Glow’s work situates New York’s Dutch colonial history within a global context and brings together multiple perspectives to reflect on its meaning,” said Dr. Louise Mirrer, president and CEO of New-York Historical. “Commemorations are opportunities to assess our collective histories and imagine future possibilities. Glow’s artistic practice highlights the importance of learning from the past, which is critical for engaged participation in democratic societies.”
“This residency provided me the opportunity to study New-York Historical’s remarkable collections and to collaborate with culture bearers, as well as the Museum’s dedicated team, in the creation of a new body of work that reconsiders dominant historical narratives through a contemporary lens,” said Glow. “This multivocal exhibition centers underrepresented stories previously eclipsed by the long-lasting impacts of Dutch colonial enterprises. For me, artmaking is about awakening empathy, solidarity, and care.”
Glow sculpted the parade float maquettes in virtual reality (VR) and 3D-printed them. The compositions reflect upon records of the 1909 Hudson-Fulton Celebration parades, which marked the 300th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s voyage and the 100th anniversary of Robert Fulton’s steamship up the Hudson River. Many of them reference allegorical depictions of the Four Continents from the 17th through 19th centuries, which advanced racial stereotypes and implied social hierarchies, as well as other objects like games and toys from New-York Historical’s collection. In Sigillum Maahahtaanung, Glow and Brent Stonefish (Delaware Nation at Moraviantown) redesigned the seal of Manhattan and New York City from a Lenape perspective to visualize an alternative reality of true reciprocity, instead of violence and conflict, between the Dutch and Lenape. In another float, miniature figures of genealogist Teresa Vega and three generations of ancestors, including formerly enslaved stagecoach man Thomas Thompson, ride together in a gilded coach.
Additional works include Glow’s interpretations of decorative arts collection objects. Lavish baby rattles created by the artist provide a multi-faceted commentary about the transmission of cultural, social, and economic power across generations. The artist also sculpted a gunpowder horn to highlight the irony of using warfare to coerce peace. Other references include maps and globes that are representative of Dutch dominance in printing, bookselling, and cartographic innovation during the 17th century. Souvenirs of the 1909 Hudson-Fulton celebration in Albany, New York, include the festival program featuring the image of a Seneca man and photographs of parade floats featuring Native Americans.
Ahmed Dadou, Consul General of the Netherlands in New York, added, “Beatrice Glow’s groundbreaking exhibition, When Our Rivers Meet, is a profound reflection on Dutch-New York history. Through re-examining historical documents and artifacts, Glow has given all of us the opportunity to understand Dutch colonial history in New York and beyond in a deeper and more meaningful way, adding new perspectives from the many diverse people who share this history including Native Americans and African Americans. This exhibition exemplifies our FUTURE 400 program, honoring 400 years of shared Dutch-New York history with honesty and integrity, and forging a path to a more inclusive 400 years to come.”
Beatrice Glow is a New York and Bay Area-based multidisciplinary artist. Her practice includes examinations of archival collections and collaboration with culture bearers and historians in the creation of sculptural installations, textiles, emerging media, and olfactory experiences to envision a more just and thriving world guided by history. She was invited to respond to the works in New-York Historical’s Museum and Library collections based on her experience in collections-based research, her interest in interrogating historical forms of visual and material culture, her innovative exploration of digital technologies, and her past projects engaging with the global legacy of Dutch colonialism in partnership with Indigenous communities. New-York Historical has previously invited artists to examine New-York Historical’s collections and create new works based on their research.
Beatrice Glow: When Our Rivers Meet is organized by Rebecca Klassen, curator of material culture at New-York Historical. A Bloomberg Connects audio tour also accompanies the exhibition. Project participants include Raul Balai, Tecumseh Ceaser, Deborah Jack, Nancy Jouwe, Chief Vincent Mann, Michaeline Picaro Mann, Wim Manuhutu, Brent Stonefish, and Teresa Vega.
Programming
Private group tours can be arranged throughout the exhibition. Family programs, including an opportunity for children to design their own city seals, will also take place during the exhibition’s run. Learn more at the family calendar.
Support
Beatrice Glow: When Our Rivers Meet is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. This project is supported as part of the Dutch Culture USA program by the Consulate General of the Netherlands in New York. Philanthropic support for New Amsterdam 400 is provided by New York Life. Lead support is also provided by the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation. Major support is provided by Jeffrey Bewkes and Citco. Additional support is provided by Alex Roepers.
Exhibitions at New-York Historical are made possible by Dr. Agnes Hsu-Tang and Oscar Tang, the Saunders Trust for American History, the Evelyn & Seymour Neuman Fund, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. WNET is the media sponsor.
About the New-York Historical Society
Experience 400 years of history through groundbreaking exhibitions, immersive films, and thought-provoking conversations among renowned historians and public figures at the New-York Historical Society, New York’s first museum. A great destination for history since 1804, the Museum and the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library convey the stories of the city and nation’s diverse populations, expanding our understanding of who we are as Americans and how we came to be. Ever-rising to the challenge of bringing little or unknown histories to light, New-York Historical will soon inaugurate a new wing housing its Academy for American Democracy as well as the American LGBTQ+ Museum. These latest efforts to help forge the future by documenting the past join New-York Historical’s DiMenna Children’s History Museum and Center for Women’s History. Digital exhibitions, apps, and our For the Ages podcast make it possible for visitors everywhere to dive more deeply into history. Connect with us at nyhistory.org or at @nyhistory on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Tumblr.
About FUTURE 400
FUTURE 400, an initiative of the Netherlands Consulate General of New York, endeavors to honor 400 years of Dutch-New York history with honesty and integrity, creating space for others who share this common heritage to voice their feelings and experiences at this monumental moment. Partners from cultural to commercial fields, from the New York area to the Netherlands will come together to create new work and new opportunities that will continue to write the next chapter of our shared story, our collective…FUTURE 400.
Image: Beatrice Glow and Teresa Vega, Riding with My Ancestors While We Spill the Tea