Haarlem residents create tapestry about slavery history in Vleeshal

Residents of Haarlem are participating in the creation of a massive tapestry in the Vleeshal, located at Grote Markt 18, to reflect on the colonial and slavery history of North Holland. This local section of the artwork measures five meters in length and three meters in height and will remain under construction until December 20. The initiative is part of a nationwide project titled Threads of our Dutch Slavery Past, where citizens across different provinces collaborate to visualize historical legacies through large-scale textile art based on academic research.

The overall design for the North Holland tapestry, which will span a total length of 35 meters, was crafted by artist Raul Balai. Beyond the contributions in Haarlem, various other cities throughout the province are involved in the collaborative effort. The project is open to the public, requiring no prior artistic experience or registration, allowing community members to contribute directly to this commemorative piece until the project deadline later this year.