Exhibition | Threads of Our Slavery Past
A monumental tapestry full of stories
From September through November 2026, the Brabant tapestry *Threads of Our Slavery Past * will be on display at Parktheater Eindhoven. This impressive artwork by Victor Sonna brings together stories that have long past event overlooked and shows how North Brabant, too, is connected to the Netherlands’ colonial history of slavery.
Every stitch tells a story—about people, places, memories, and the traces the past still leaves behind today. The tapestry incorporates dozens of references to places in Brabant, historical figures, and events—from the kapok tree and the textile industry to Philips, Helmond Castle, Quaco, and Tula. Each element tells a story about North Brabant’s connection to its colonial past. During your visit, you’ll continually discover new details.
A work of art created by hundreds of residents of Brabant
Threads of Our Slavery Past is part of the national project Threads of Our Dutch Slavery Past (DvONS). A unique design is created for each province, based on local historical research into the relationship with the colonial and slavery past.
The Brabant tapestry was designed by artist Victor Sonna in collaboration with Erfgoed Brabant. The tapestry incorporates references to various cities in Brabant, historical events, and individuals connected to the colonial past.
Since early 2025, the installation has past event traveling to various locations throughout Brabant. Hundreds of residents, artists, and engaged communities collaborated on the tapestry using a variety of textile techniques. The result is a unique work of art that not only depicts the stories of our shared history of slavery but also writes a new collective history: a history of encounter, collaboration, and connection.
- Please note: Open only during performance times.
Research into Eindhoven’s history of slavery
The tapestry illustrates how the colonial past is intertwined with the history of North Brabant. Eindhoven, too, has connections to this past. To better map out these connections, the municipality commissioned a preliminary study in 2024 on the city’s relationship to the Dutch colonial history of slavery. Eindhoven is thus part of a broader trend: an increasing number of Dutch cities and municipalities are examining their own role in the colonial and slavery past and making that history visible to a broad audience. More information and the full report of the preliminary study, *De Stad Vertelt*, can be found via this link.
